WITH ROD AND GUN ON THE MARSHES 23 



of various ages : and a more uncouth family of marshmen 

 and women it would be hard to find between John 

 o' Groats and Land's End. 



A wild, rugged spot for a civiHsed person to live on for 



any length of time is N Island, situate as it is seven 



miles away from the nearest village, and that village ap- 

 proachable only at low tide by a road beaconed out along 

 a vast expanse of yellow, treacherous sands and black- 

 grounds. For many miles the sands stretch away to 

 south, east, and west, and the thunder of the North Sea 

 rollers breaking upon them is heard from the island like 

 the distant firing of heavy artillery. 



I have remarked that the inhabitants of N are un- 

 couth ; but they are more than uncouth, in fact, they are 

 but little better civilised than were their forefathers, the 

 ancient Britons. True, in lieu of woad or skins they 

 clothe themselves in fustian, and may therefore perhaps 

 be allowed to class themselves a notch above their 

 ancient progenitors. Born and bred on the marshes, 

 neither Thomas, his wife, nor one of their interesting and 

 numerous offspring could either read, 'rite or 'rithmetic ; 

 indeed, I do not believe that any member of the family — 

 barring Mrs T., who, in early girlhood, once journeyed as 

 far as Norwich — had ever wandered beyond the limits of 



the village of W g, to which Thomas paid exactly 



twelve monthly visits per annum for the double purpose of 

 purchasing provisions and of getting right royally drunk. 

 As for Mrs Thomas, well, I will quote her own words : 

 " Why, me, master, I ain't been furderer nor the road 



