UNDER THE LEE OF NORFOLK SANDHILLS 313 



spection of which showed remnants of the gilt and colour of 

 bygone days. In the wall, worn stone steps led up .to the 

 loft, which had now been taken away, and all around be- 

 tokened that once the church had been prosperous and well- 

 endowed. To-day the tide of agricultural depression is 

 sweeping over it, and it cannot be expected, when the tithe 

 rent-roll fails to produce fifty pounds a year, that the rector 

 can keep up its former glories, educate his children and ad- 

 minister charity with the munificent hand that his heart 

 desires but his purse denies. In spite of all his troubles and 

 anxieties to make both ends meet, we found him contented 

 with his lot, and happy, ever ready to deny himself when he 

 could benefit others, and holding out the hand of friendship 

 to all around him. 



In this remote corner of England scrupulous doctrines 

 were neither preached nor practised, and we do not blush to 

 confess that after luncheon we repaired to the reed-fringed 

 mere intent on pike. The wind was still north-by-east and 

 very gusty, but the sun was shining, and we hoped for the 

 best. So cold was it that we found a sweater, a cardigan 

 jacket and an overcoat hardly kept us warm, and our fingers 

 soon lost all sense of touch in handling the wet line. 



Round the edges of the mere, dense reed beds smothered 

 other vegetation, and hardly a tree was in sight except the 

 little clump which shadowed the church and the houses sur- 

 rounding it. A small island was situated in the middle of the 

 water, upon which a fishing hut had been erected, and round 

 this we fished assiduously for hours. The channel running 

 along the western shores was also spun over again and again 

 without a rise, and as the sun dipped into the mists of the 

 marshes we gave up all hope of getting fish, and directed the 

 boatman to head our bows for home. 



Numbers of wildfowl were on the water ; particularly we 

 noticed teal, mallard, widgeon and pochards, not to mention a 

 colony of coots, whose spluttering on rising would have disturbed 

 any fish they passed over. So far as sport with the rod was 

 concerned, our first afternoon was a blank ; but we glanced 



