A RIVER YACHTING RESORT 159 



everyone else from the yachts moored in the neighbourhood, 

 and the event promised to be one not lacking in amusement. 



A detailed description of that evening, although it might 

 certainly come within the category of Broadland sport, is 

 hardly such subject-matter as should be included within the 

 pages of the present volume, and it is therefore skipped. 



Visiting first the low-roofed kitchen, we watched for up- 

 wards of half an hour the many and varied step dances of the 

 Horning rustics. An American hand organ provided the 

 music and a liberal supply of nutty brown old ale, with a dash 

 of gin in it, promoted the energy of the dancers to an extent 

 amazing to onlookers. At first glance the dancing appeared 

 to consist of nothing but a great rattling of feet upon the 

 well-sanded brick floor, with much stamping and occasional 

 exclamations and gesticulations to vary the monotony, but 

 the more careful observer would note that regular steps were 

 made and that the dance in progress was one which required 

 both practice and skill to perform. 



On the whole it was quaint, peculiar and unapproached, 

 except perhaps by the dances in the wilds of Andalusia as 

 rendered by the Jitanos and Spanish peasants. On entering 

 the so-called Palais Gaiete de Coeur we were hailed with an 

 enthusiastic welcome, although the room was so crowded and 

 filled with tobacco smoke it was difficult to distinguish any- 

 thing or anybody. At the moment a member of the company 

 was engaged in singing "The Tarpaulin Jacket," in the 

 chorus of which everyone most lustily joined, whilst several 

 members of the audience were sitting upon a luckless in- 

 dividual who still insisted in attempting to recite " The Life- 

 boat" as his contribution. When howled down he would 

 not accept the verdict of his listeners, but made repeated 

 attempts to renew his offer by starting upon the first verse, 

 regardless of what was going on or the objections of those 

 around him. 



Doubtless we should have stayed longer than we did, but 

 the heat and smoke were so oppressive we were glad to seek 

 the fresh air outside, and. muffled up in our mackintoshes, we 



