194 BROADLAND SPORT 



had hired the rights to shoot as far as the eye can reach 

 from here (by daylight, of course), and in order that he might 

 live on the spot he had an extraordinary house-boat especially 

 built for his own accommodation. She was fairly comfort- 

 able, but her owner had evinced a sudden craze for dogs the 

 log-book registered no less than seven of them which with 

 the skipper, a man, a boy, and myself (a guest), formed the 

 full complement of the crew. 



I can remember the particular night to which I refer as 

 though it were but yesterday evening. We were moored on 

 the identical spot that we now are, but then it was wilder and 

 perhaps more picturesque. The house-boat lay half in the 

 reeds and half out, whilst a plankway, similar to the one you 

 have, led onto the island, which, as you see, is small and compact. 



Around us in all directions whistled wild birds of every 

 description, but on such an evening flighting was out of the 

 question, nor could we have approached any fowl in our 

 punt had they pitched upon the glassy surface of the water 

 near enough to us. 



Silently I sat and smoked, and watched my friend as the 

 liquor mounted to his head and he passed though the varying 

 stages of inebriation. Hours had I lectured him upon the 

 madness of his infatuation for the bottle. It was useless. He 

 was of age, his own master, and argument only made him 

 the more stubborn and w r ilful in his manner, and deepened 

 the draught of his all-too-frequent potations. 



He had risen from his berth about 2 p.m., and breakfasted 

 upon a whisky-and-soda, with part of a sea-biscuit .and a salt 

 herring. For half an hour he had been, as he said, very 

 seedy and in need of a pick-me-up, which meant several 

 more whiskies-and-sodas ; this brought him to the merry 

 stage. At half-past three he expressed a desire for a little 

 excitement, and as no shooting was to be had on account of 

 the weather, he rowed to Hickling Staithc to endeavour to 

 purchase some rats to which he wanted to break his dogs. 

 In procuring any live rats he failed, but he returned with 

 a boatload of rat-traps, which he insisted in setting all over 



