Yarmouth.--The "Rows".--A Stiff Breeze.--An Exciting Sail.--
Sparrow-hawk's Nest.--A Nasty Fall.--Long-eared Owl.--
Partridge.--Sandpiper.
Yarmouth is a queer old semi-Dutch town, and is often compared in shape
to a gridiron, the bars of that article corresponding to the "Rows"
which are such a peculiar feature of Yarmouth. These rows stretching
across from the quay-side to the principal street are very narrow, yet
contain the houses and shops of a great portion of the population. Many
are only wide enough for foot passengers but along others, carts of a
peculiar construction can pass. These carts are very long and narrow,
and have only two wheels, and a stranger seeing them for the first time
would wonder what they were for.
Below Breydon Water the river narrows very much, and flows past numerous
fish-wharves and quays to the sea. The tide rises up this narrow neck
with great force, and were it not for the safety-valve which is afforded
by the vast expanse of Breydon Water, where the tide can expand and
waste its force, it would rush on and flood the low-lying marshes for
miles up the river.
The boys had resolved to start on their voyage up Breydon Water at ten
o'clock in the morning, when the tide would be making and would help
them on their way, but when they had staggered down to their boat in the
teeth of a fierce north-wester, and saw Breydon white with foam, torn
off short snappy waves caused by the meeting of wind and tide, they were
rather dismayed, and held a council of war as to what should be done.
Not a sail could be seen on the wide expanse of Breydon Water. The sky
was of a hard and pitiless blue, and clearly foretold a continuance of
the gale.
"Shall we venture or not?" said Frank.
"What do you feel inclined to do yourself?" asked Jimmy.
"Well, I don't think there is any great risk. We will take every reef
in, and the tide will be in our favour. It will be a good trial for the
yacht too. If we can get to the top of Breydon against this gale we
shall have every reason to be satisfied with her. I am game to try."
"So am I," said Jimmy.
"Then if you are, I am," said Dick.
"That's right. Then do you make all snug on board, while I run back to
the town. I have something to buy," and off he went.
In a short time he returned with a small life-belt in his hand.
"Here, this is for you, Dick. Jimmy and I swim so well that there is no
danger for us, but you cannot swim so very far yet, so you had better
wear this in case of a capsize, though I don't expect one. Now, are you
ready?"
"Yes."
"Then, Jimmy, do you take the main-sheet, and you, Dick, take the
mizen-sheet, and I will cast off."
The sails were hoisted, and everything made taut and trim. Frank undid
the moorings, and jumped on board, seizing the tiller just as the
yacht's head turned from the shore, and she heeled over before the wind.
No sooner was she free from the quay than she seemed to be at the
opposite side of the river, at such a pace did the wind impel her.
Although her raft-like frame gave her so much stability, yet she heeled
over until her deck to leeward was in the water. She came back on the
opposite tack with the speed of a racehorse. Frank said,--
"I say, she fairly seems to run away from us. Quick, loose the sheet,
Jimmy! Here's a squall!" and the yacht ran up into the wind, and her
sails fluttered as Frank kept her so until the gust had passed. They
were soon out in the open water of Breydon, and were able to take longer
tacks. This gave them some ease, but they found that the _Swan_ was not a
"dry" boat. Her lowness and flat shape caused her to "ship" the short
curling seas. They, of course, passed over her deck harmlessly, but
nevertheless they made her wet and uncomfortable. As long, however, as
she was safe and sailed well, the boys did not mind this at all, and
they stuck to their work bravely, handling their yacht with great skill
and courage.
Large portions of Breydon are dry at low tide, and are there called
"muds," or "flats." On these muds flocks of sea-fowl congregate.
"These are capital places in the winter for wild-fowl shooting," said
Frank, "we must have a day's sport here in the next hard frost. Bell
will come with us, and show us some good fun, I am sure."
"My father has a big swivel duck-gun somewhere about. If that will be of
any use I will look it up," said Dick.
"Of course it will be of use, old man. Just the thing we want. Haul in
her sheet, Jimmy. We can sail a point nearer to the wind, if we choose.
I say, this is fine! What muffs we were to think that there was any
danger, or that the yacht could not do it. See how well she behaves! But
there, I am putting her too full, and she was very nearly capsized. The
man at the wheel must not speak, so don't talk to me."
"This may be fine fun for you, Frank, but my hands have nearly all the
skin taken off them by the rope. It is jolly hard work holding on to
this, I can tell you," said Jimmy, who, indeed, had got his work cut out
for him.
"Same here," said Dick; "I don't care how soon it is over, for my hands
are awfully flayed. I wish we could make the sheet fast."
"Ah, you must not do that, or we shall be upset at the next gust," said
Frank.
After an hour and a half of very exciting sailing, they had sailed the
five miles of Breydon Water, and ran into the smoother current of the
Waveney. Here, also, they got the wind more aslant, and skimmed along at
a great pace with very little labour. In this way, they sailed some
fifteen miles, and at length came to anchor in a sheltered spot under a
wood-crowned bank not far from Beccles. After making all snug and eating
their dinner, the most natural thing to do was to explore the wood near
them. They left the yacht, and crossing a meadow they entered the wood.
It was a thick fir-plantation and promised well for nests.
"What is that one?" said Jimmy, pointing to a nest in a tall fir-tree.
"Is it a crow's, or an old wood-pigeon's, or a hawk's? Who will go up
and see?"
"I will," said Frank, and up he went hand over hand among the thick
boughs. As he neared the top, he was obliged to proceed more
cautiously, for the branches were thin, and the tree swayed in the wind.
All doubts as to the kind of nest were speedily dissolved, for with a
cry of rage, a sparrow-hawk came dashing up, and flew in circles around
the tree, screaming angrily, and making fierce attacks at the invader of
its home. Frank, nothing daunted, continued his upward way, and soon was
able to see into the nest.
"There are four young ones," he cried.
[Illustration: SPARROW-HAWK.]
"What a pity," said Jimmy. "If they had only been eggs! Look sharp and
come down, Frank, you are swinging about so much that it does not seem
safe up there."
But Frank answered nothing, and remained on his perch.
"What is the matter, Frank?"
"I am thinking about something."
"A tree-top is a funny place to think. Here is the other hawk coming to
pay you a visit, and it is the female. She will be more savage than the
other, and may attack you."
"No fear," said Frank, but at that moment both hawks made a sudden
onslaught upon him, and the female struck him so savagely, that she tore
a big gash in his cheek. He was so startled at this unexpected and
hostile measure that he lost his hold and fell. When Dick and Jimmy saw
their leader crashing through the branches, and turning over and over as
he fell, they could not repress a shriek, and closed their eyes to shut
out the horrible accident that must happen. They waited in fearful
suspense for the expected thud, but not hearing it, they ventured to
look up again, and saw Frank lying on a thickly spreading branch not far
below the nest. He was lying quite still, but clutching hold of the
boughs with his hands. Both Dick and Jimmy flew to the tree, and
commenced to climb it. With a speed that seemed wonderful to them
afterwards they reached Frank.
"Are you hurt, old man?"
"Not at all, only all the wind is knocked out of me. I shall be all
right in a minute. I say, if my mater saw that tumble, she would not let
me go out alone any more, would she? That hawk was a plucky bird. I am
going up to the nest again."
"What for? I should think you have had enough of hawks' nests for a long
time."
"Yes, but I want to take two of the young ones. Two of them are much
larger than the others, so they must be females. Now I'll tell you what
struck me before the bird knocked me off my perch. Suppose we take these
young hawks, and train them up in the way they should go--that is, let
us use them for hawking."
"It is a good idea and no mistake--but can we do that?"
"Easily," answered Frank, gathering himself together, and resuming his
ascent.
"What a cool fellow he is," said Dick to Jimmy. "He does not seem to
know what danger is."
"He does not choose to show it, if he does. But let us go up and help
him with the hawks."
The young hawks were fully fledged and nearly ready to fly. They were
fierce enough now, but Frank said he would undertake to tame them, and
fit them for hawking before the winter, if the other boys would help
him. The idea of reviving that famous old sport was a very fascinating
one, and they determined to do their best to carry it out, with what
result will afterwards be seen. In the meantime it was a difficult
matter to dispose of the birds. They tied strings to their legs, and
kept them in the cabin, feeding them, and taking as much care of them as
if they were babies, until they came to Norwich, when they sent them to
Bell, who took care of them until their return.
After taking the hawks to the boat, the boys went back to the wood and
separated, so that they might cover more ground. Suddenly peals of
laughter were heard coming from the corner of the wood. Frank, pushing
aside the branches to get a clearer view, was surprised to see Dick
staring at a thick Scotch fir, holding his sides, and laughing until the
tears ran down his cheeks. Frank hastened up to him to see where the fun
was. Dick could only point, for he was too far gone for speech. Frank
looked in the direction he pointed, and immediately burst into a fit of
laughter far more uproarious than Dick's. Jimmy, running up as fast as
he could, saw both his friends laughing and capering like mad.
"What on earth is the matter? Have you both gone crazy?" They pointed to
the Scotch fir. Jimmy looked, and immediately fell a roaring with
laughter as hard as the others.
[Illustration: LONG-EARED OWL.]
This is the explanation. On a horizontal bough of the tree were seated
six young long-eared owls. They were fully fledged, but unable to fly,
and according to their custom they had left their nest and were perched
together on this branch waiting for their parents to feed them. They
looked most extremely absurd and ridiculous as they sat, each on one
foot swaying to and fro after their manner on the bough, and gravely
winking their large brown eyes at the intruders. It is impossible to
give any idea of the comicality of the scene any more than it is
possible to give a true description in words of the grotesque gestures
of a clown. Of this owl Morris says,--
"It is readily tamed, and affords much amusement by the many grotesque
attitudes it assumes, to which its ears and eyes give piquancy. It may
often be detected that a small orifice is left through which it is
peeping when its eyes would seem to be shut, and it has the singular
faculty of being able to close one eye while the other is not shut, so
that it may appear wide awake on one side while apparently asleep on the
other, or if asleep, may be so literally with one eye open. The ears are
raised by excitement; at other times they are depressed."
[Illustration: COMMON PARTRIDGE.]
On its head this owl has two tufts of feathers which look like donkey's
ears, and give it its name. It is common in many parts of England, and
frequents thick fir-woods, where it builds in old nests of crows and
hawks, or even squirrels, which it lines with wool, and in which it lays
two or three round white eggs.
Jimmy sadly wanted to take one of the young ones home, but the hawks
were as much as they could manage in the yacht, and after all, the owl
would be of no use to them, and it might die, so they reluctantly left
the birds on their perch to snore in peace.
[Illustration: EGG OF COMMON PARTRIDGE.]
"What is that partridge calling for?" said Frank.
"I can't think," answered Jimmy. "It seems to come from the top of that
haystack, but that is a very unlikely place for a partridge in the
breeding season."
"I will go up and see," said Dick, "if you will give me a back." They
soon lifted him up, and as they did so, a French or red-legged partridge
flew off.
"Here is her nest with ten eggs in it," cried Dick, "what an
extraordinary spot for a nest." And so it was, but not altogether
singular, for the partridge has been known to build in a hollow tree,
and in other unlikely situations.
Leaving the wood, they proceeded up a small stream which empties itself
into the Waveney. As they advanced, a sandpiper took short flights in
front of them. It was presently joined by another, and the two seemed so
uneasy, that the boys concluded that their nest could not be far off.
They therefore set to work to examine every likely spot with great care.
Dick was the one who found it, in fact he very nearly trod upon it. Four
cream-coloured eggs with brown spots, very much pointed and very large
for the size of the bird, lay in a hollow in a gravelly bank, upon a few
pieces of dry grass and leaves, the birds' apology for a nest. The
sandpipers flew over head, uttering their cry of "weet, weet, weet,"
with great anxiety, and they looked so pretty, that the boys felt sorry
for them, and only took two of their eggs.
The summer snipe, as this bird is also called, is well known to everyone
who wanders by the side of streams or lakes. Its white stomach contrasts
so prettily with its dusky back, and it walks so merrily about the
water-edge, trotting over the lily leaves, and taking short flights
before the angler, that it is one of my favourite birds, the kingfisher
and the water-ouzel being the other two.
Jimmy had gone off up a small ravine thickly covered with underwood, in
search of a fern or two which he expected to find there. He had not been
gone long before they heard him give a loud shout, and turning towards
the spot, they saw a woodcock float out of a covert with that owl-like
flight which it sometimes affect.
"Here is its nest," shouted Jimmy.
This news was sufficient to make the boys rush at once to the place
where Jimmy stood.
On the ground under a holly-bush was the nest, with four eggs in it, of
a dirty yellowish white, spotted with pale brown.
[Illustration: COMMON SANDPIPER.]
"Well," said Frank, "I think we have had an uncommonly good day."
"So do I," replied Jimmy, "and I feel uncommonly hungry. Don't you?"
"It seems to me that we do nothing but eat," observed Dick.
"I should like to go to bed soon. I am tired, and my ribs ache from my
tumble," said Frank.