2 
BEWICK’S SWAN. 
concealed. Before coming within range, nearly a dozen tame Swans which were being also driven before 
the boats came very close, and I fired just before the birds could join company. It was a long shot, but the 
bone of the right wing was broken close to the body, and it only required a short chase and a shot from the 
shoulder-gun to put an end to the sufferings of the unfortunate wounded bird. On examination, our prize 
proved to be a Bewick’s Swan, a female in fine plumage, though only weighing 9 lbs. I was out again in the 
evening to make an attempt to obtain a shot at the Goldeneyes, to convince the natives that they were not 
Tufted Ducks, but did not happen to fall in with them.” 
The next entry in my notes is under the date of the 8th of December, of the same year, and refers again to 
these Swans on Ilickling Broad. Commencing, however, with the 6th, the state of the weather will be better 
ascertained : — 
“December 6. Not a single fowl, large or small, to bo seen in the vicinity of the broad. We were only 
enabled with great difficulty to break through the ice to Ilickling, to see the keeper, as the three nights’ frost 
had almost made it strong enough to bear one’s weight if walking across. 
“December 8. To-day we commenced to cut a ‘wake’* in the ice off Kush Ilills, and, by help of saws 
and hatchets, cleared a space of about one hundred yards long and twenty wide. Not a fowl seen all day, with 
the exception of a single Swan, probably a Bewick’s, which passed over the broad, flying towards the north- 
east. 
“ December 9. By mid-day we completed eutting the ‘ wake.’ Very few fowl passed all day, only some 
half-dozen small parties of Divers that made their way in from the sea and, finding no accommodation, as the 
broad was all laid with ice, at once took their departure, and a herd of about fifty Bewick’s Swans ; these birds 
flew very low, but gave no signs of alighting, holding a straight course to the west. An unfortunate though 
somewhat amusing mishap occurred to-day while I had left for a few minutes a small thatched shed built up with 
willoAV-stakes and covered in wdtli reeds, on the islet off the point of Kush Ilills, to catch a glimpse of the 
Swans passing over the broad. Tliere were ten or a dozen men at work and two, both farmers, who while out 
with their guns had stopped to assist us, had brought dogs with them. These sagacious animals had remained 
on the island while their masters were engaged at the ‘ wake.’ It had been my occupation, assisted by one of 
the men, to attend to the preparation of our lunch, and a dozen tins of Cross and Blackwell’s soup had just 
been heated in a large pan and made ready for use. On the Swans being reported in sight, I went out to 
ascertain, if possible, to which species they belonged, and to call in the men to take their lunch. Having satisfied 
myself that the birds were all Bewick’s Swans, and evidently bound for other quarters, I returned to serve out the 
allowance, when we discovered that the two dogs left on the island had tilted over our pan of soup and consumed 
as much of the bones and meat as they could collect from the flooring of rushes on which it had fallen. 
Conscious of their iniquity, the delinquents had instantly made their way across the ice on the broad to Swim- 
coats, where they now sat on the bank surrounding the marsh watching us intently, and probably in expectation 
of a severe reprimand. One of my own retrievers, old ‘ Nell,’ often referred to in these pages, had not 
moved from the position she had taken up near the stove when I left, and was evidently perfectly innocent of 
any participation in the crime, wagging her tail and exhibiting great delight at my return. Luckily a large 
stock of tins of preserved soups was at hand, and plenty of assistance being now procurable, a fresh supply was 
soon obtained, as only our soup had been interfered with. If I remember right, one of the eulprits paid with 
his life for the offence, being shot by his master as soon as he came within range in a retired portion of the 
marshes on the way towards home.” 
My earliest experience with Bewick’s Swan was in the winter of 1800, when I knocked down a fine bird of 
this species into the river running from the town of Kye, towards the harbour mouth. I had been out in a 
small rowing-boat, an old-fashioned tub, but luckily strongly built, with well-fastened timbers. My craft had 
• A “ wake ” is the name given in this part of the country to a cutting made in the ice to obtain open water for the tame Swans. 
