GREAT YARMOUTH TO HORNING 147 



ground to the botanist and ornithologist, as well as sport to 

 lovers of the gun. 



South Walsham Broad, which is situated about a mile 

 from the river, under the uplands, is divided into two parts, 

 the Little and the Great Broad. The public claim the right 

 to shoot upon the Little Broad, which is, of course, disputed 

 by the surrounding owners. The Great Broad, which is con- 

 nected with the Little Broad by means of a narrow dyke, 

 is strictly preserved, and is at times well stocked with fowl. 

 At the westernmost end, separated by another dyke, lies 

 Sotshole Broad, a mere pulkhole grown up in summer with 

 water lilies and weeds. These broads are surrounded by woods 

 very picturesquely situated. For some years it has been the 

 custom of the lessee of the shooting to breed a number of 

 half-bred wild ducks, which afford excellent sport when the 

 season opens. During the autumn, pochards, widgeon, teal, 

 duck and mallard, tufted duck, shovellers, and many species of 

 long- winged fowl are nearly always to be found here. After 

 the first shot is fired the foreign fowl circle high in the air, 

 and they understand all too well how to take care of them- 

 selves. Many a day's excellent sport has the author had 

 upon these waters, the memory of which is not likely to be 

 effaced by time, and as the years roll on they are looked back 

 to as sweet pages of a happy past. 



One of the most enjoyable sports Broadland affords is 

 evening flighting. It is good between two of these broads. 

 Warmly clad and provided with long marsh boots one sits 

 upon a hummock of hassock grass concealed from view by 

 a rudely-made screen of reeds, or a net- work of improvised 

 boughs and bushes, bent and twisted into a leafy curtain, 

 before and around. A well-trained Norfolk retriever crouches 

 as near as circumstances will permit, its ears pricked, its head 

 on one side, and its whole attitude showing that the dog has 

 as much interest in the proceedings as its master. 



As the shades of evening draw to a close, and the mist 

 rises from the water and swamps, rail may be seen stealing 

 noiselessly from their haunts amongst the labyrinth of rush 



