A WEEK-END TRIP ON THE CAM 89 
were unfortunate enougli to ship a quantity of water, which 
soaked our nigs and cushions as well as my sweater and scarf, 
though we did not at the time realise the discomfort brought 
upon us later by this occurrence. Shortly afterwards we stopped 
for a bathe, the water being quite warm, though a trifle over- 
grown with weeds and water-lilies. 
Being anxious to get some moorhens’ eggs for our breakfast 
on the following morning, we confined ourselves to carefully 
examining the overhanging bushes and other likely spots, and 
were not disappointed. The site of the nest was the trunk 
of a fallen willow which overhung the stream, and the eggs, 
which proved to be newly laid, were carefully stored in the bows 
of the boat. 
mile or two further up stream we were surprised by some 
snipe — first two, then three or four, and later as many as a 
dozen — flying anxiously round us in the air, now skimming close 
to the boat, now rising high in the air, now giving vent to their 
gull-like cries, now swooping down and producing the peculiar 
drumming sound so characteristic of these birds. The idea of 
a snipe’s nest being irresistible, we quickly moored the boat and 
wandered over a large area of thick, sodden herbage which 
flourished in the wet, marshy land. Beyond rousing several 
other snipe, which joined their companions in the air, we met 
with no success. Finally, we lay down on the ground and 
watched them all settle, in the hopes that they would thereby 
betray their nests, but in this we were foiled, as directly we 
stood up on our feet all the birds immediately rose into the air 
and continued their former gyrations. Accordingly we reluc- 
tantly made our way back to the boat and launched her, feeling 
sad at heart. A couple of hours’ paddling brought us to the 
mill, which necessitated our hauling the boat overland and 
depositing it on the higher waters. We now proceeded to look 
out for a place in which to spend the night, and soon decided on 
a spot well sheltered by willow trees and skirted by a field of 
long, thick grass. 
It was now 10.30 and the light was nearly gone, so that our 
supper, consisting of tea, bread, potted-meat, cheese and biscuits, 
was taken with some difficulty; at 11.30, having lighted our 
pipes, we wrapped ourselves in the rugs and laydown, my friend 
on the ground, I in the boat, and tried to sleep. In this, how- 
ever, we had made a grievous mistake, chiefly owing to the 
dampness of the rugs and our clothes; at 12.30 the dew lay so 
thick on the ground that my friend was forced to get into the 
boat, and we despaired of sleep, so re-lighting our pipes we 
smoked and talked. 
There was, nevertheless, plenty to interest us, as we could 
plainly hear every few minutes an otter diving for fish, which 
he apparently caught, by the audible flappings indicative of a 
successful foray ; numerous water-rats too were on the feed, and 
in the uncertain light we could see them crossing and re-crossing 
