A SUBURBAN ESTATE 19 



freely that one could only stay on board for a short 

 period at a time. One morning I essayed to go 

 for a short voyage in this weather-beaten craft, first 

 taking the precaution to stop up all visible holes 

 and cracks with clay. I got on swimmingly for a 

 time ; but when I was in the middle of the lake 



P * 



DABCHICK SWIMMING WITH BODY SUBMERGED 



I accidentally lost my quanting pole. This was 

 a nice condition for a too venturesome naturalist 

 to find himself in. The punt was slowly filling, 

 and I could not pull up the pole, which was fixed 

 fast in the bottom of the lake ; the more I pulled 

 the faster the punt filled, and at last I slipped, 

 and the boat glided away from the pole. Looking 



