356 BROADLAND SPORT 



works himself into on so many occasions, his bearings being 

 alone indicated by nodding reeds and the music of his tongue. 



A hunt, on the upper reaches of the North River, where 

 it flows through undulating meadows and pretty wooded 

 landscapes, was quite feasible. The banks, although swampy 

 and overgrown in places, are usually firm enough to walk 

 upon for miles, whereas lower down the river, in the heart 

 of the broads, a wide margin of treacherous swamp, hardly 

 negotiable to a water spaniel, is the only apology for a foot- 

 hold. 



This advertisement was attractive. The writer cut it out 

 of the paper, and on arrival home the excitable " Spot " (his 

 favourite fox-terrier) was informed that he had been 

 personally invited, and the eventful day, the prospects of 

 which were doubtless discussed every evening in the bar- 

 parlours and tap-rooms of the village inns for miles around, 

 was looked forward to with considerable anticipation. 



The morning of the meet broke beautifully fine. Arriv- 

 ing at the appointed rendezvous it was evident the invitation 

 had been most cordially and unconditionally responded to. 

 Some brought one dog, some two, others three, and some as 

 many as six. Such a collection of the canine race, it may be 

 safely asserted, has never before been seen in the field, and 

 probably never will be again. Dogs of every description, and 

 every dog of no description, had come from many miles of 

 country round to swell the throng. 



As Mark Twain would say, " There they were, black dogs, 

 white dogs, yellow dogs, red dogs, variegated dogs, flea-bitten 

 dogs, dogs with tails, dogs without tails, rat-terriers, bull-pups, 

 poodles, fox-hounds, spaniels, setters, Newfoundlands, mixed 

 breeds, pointers, retrievers, Airedales, collies, cross-breeds, 

 Scotch-terriers, Irish- terriers, Welsh-terriers, English -terriers, 

 and a multitude of other varieties, all growling, yelping, 

 barking, snapping and jumping about, while the noise was 

 like a menagerie at meal time." The crowd was as motley 

 as the pack. Well-dressed men in faultless sporting toggery, 

 with well-dressed dogs of high degree, mingled with the 



