210 WAYFARING NOTIONS 



into English from more classic samples, like Glen 

 Parva, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Kibworth Harcourt, 

 or plenty you can find. However, investigation 

 reveals that what might be a sort of surname or 

 qualification merely refers to the local pub. — 

 from time immemorial the most convenient land- 

 mark, far superior to the churches. Other 

 counties, other manners in speaking. Farther 

 south you would say the Swan at Bottisham, and 

 be understanded of the people. In the east, 

 where the "a" of ham is scarcely indicated, not 

 to say sounded — as, for instance, Sohm for Soham, 

 Swaffm for Swaffam — Bottisham Swan is the 

 vogue with the "a" squeezed out like ''i ' in 

 Narrch, spelt Norwich. Pleasant hamlets, 

 villages, towns, are the scattered locations 

 between Kennett and, say, Mildenhall, with 

 individualities, manners, and customs amusing to 

 study, and plenty of churches built when money 

 was of more value, labour fairer, and the Church 

 had more to say, or, at any rate, must be listened 

 to more. A great mixture of soils and 'Mays" 

 of the land is hereabouts — peat, chalk, sand, clay, 

 bog, or fen ; all are mixed in patches or strips, 

 with vegetation to match. You get all sorts to 

 walk on except good roads, but of these I spoke 

 before. Always I have admired the smartness 

 in action of the Eastern Counties' agricultural 

 aid. I admit rating the class, wherever met, much 

 more highly as workmen than do most people. 

 You come across few smarter, brisker labourers 

 than you find in and about Newmarket. Perhaps 

 skating as boys, lads, and men inclines them to 

 good natural pace. Whatever may be the cause, 

 there is the result. 



You see the cottage-garden flowers here- 



