JOHN THOMAS, PUNT-GUNNER. 
3.39 
VIII. 
JOHN THOMAS, PUNT-GUNNEIi. 
By A. Patterson. 
Head 28th January , 1002. 
Much lias been written of late about the Broads and their 
inhabitants, and the theme was a worthy one, for both the country 
and the dwellers therein, before the advent of “’Arry and ’Arryat” 
were, mi r/eneris. Interviews with “ broadmen,” too, are common 
enough, and under the genial influence of unlimited use of the 
stranger’s tobacco-pouch and the cup that cheers, wonderful have 
been their narratives, which, freely interlarded with the vernacular, 
presented a very genuine appearance. “ Well ’bor he wor a worry 
nice gen’elman sure-ly, and I did my best to plaise him, but ,” 
and the merry twinkle of his bright grey eye under its heavy brow 
was amusing to the initiated, for the broadman although so stolid 
in appearance has a keen sense of humour ; but what matter, the 
interviewer has gone away with a good batch of “copy” and all 
were pleased. It is not thus, however, that these men are to be 
successfully approached, and if the reader would like to know what 
the Broads and their inhabitants really were like in the past he 
must turn to authorities long antecedent to the advent of the 
gentlemen who, in blushing silence, accept the honour of having 
been their discoverers. And happily we have such in the writings 
of certain old sportsmen-naturalists who lived in the tirst four 
decades of the past century, such as Girdlestone, the Pagets, and 
above all Richard Lubbock. Of course all this is pre-historic to the 
“ discoverers ” we have just been referring to, but a perusal of the 
Introduction to the Second Edition of the ‘ Fauna of Norfolk,’ by 
the last-named gentleman, will richly repay the reader, for there 
will be found gathered together many sketches, slight but graphic, 
