94 WILD LIFE ON A NORFOLK ESTUARY 



we see the smoky curl of the silt forced up by the dashing 

 swim of a large flounder the " smoke " curls behind it like 

 that from a freshly coaled steam-engine; and great shore- 

 crabs, with threatening pincer-claws, scuttle into the laby- 

 rinths of the next bunch of Zostera. A few gulls and rooks 

 pass to and fro overhead on their respective ways, and 

 a small skein of geese high up aloft are seen passing north- 

 wards. Some lapwings are calling on the marshes, and a 

 greenshank with clamorous " Pleu ! pleu ! pleu!" takes to 

 hurried flight towards a "low" in the rond, as by a smart 

 turn of the helm, and a quick gybing of the sail, we bring the 

 punt up broadside to the little staging fronting the salting on 

 which the Moorhen sits perched, high and dry ; and the good- 

 tempered old retriever from the marsh farm comes hurrying 

 up to greet us, and to beg for anything we can spare from the 

 table. 



The next thing " on the board " is to chop some firewood 

 from the heap in the basket hanging there on the rail, and 

 to light a fire in the cabin. While I am doing the household 

 work, you may be looking through this ancient telescope. 

 There may be a few wigeon floating "upward," and you 

 will get a good view of the surrounding lowlands Burgh on 

 the right, Mautby, Runham, and Stokesby out there to the 

 north'ard. You think, then, that my Breydon observatory is 

 pitched in a most interesting situation ? I quite agree with you. 



You like the Moorhen ! Well, most of my friends say they 

 do who have honoured me with their company. I suppose 

 it is the strangeness of the situation its " uniqueness," as 

 one gentleman termed it. One gets away from all the tur- 

 moil of the restless town, its excitements, worries, dirt, and 

 artificialities. You here, somehow, get back to Nature, even 

 in the matter of feeding ! In summer my eel-pick, my butt- 

 dart, and the watcher's net bring from the depths and 

 shallows tenants for my pan and pot. Sweet, home-made 

 bread, and eggs and milk and cheese from neighbour 

 Banham's farm hard by, are famous for satisfying the 

 equally famous appetite one acquires out here. The most 

 fastidious visitor may bring in the punt's lockers more dainty 

 and perhaps less wholesome viands from the town. The 



