After being so long on board a small vessel, one’s legs become cramped and unfit for walking, and the walk to Martham and back, only a couple of miles, quite tired us, and we were glad to get back to our little craft. In half an hour’s time we were passing under Heigham Bridge, and watching our man playing a seven-pound pike in the pool below. On the bank, by the cutter, he had arranged for our inspection a score of bream, from one pound to three pounds in weight, which he and another had caught early that morning and the night before.
Before turning our faces again towards Yarmouth, it may be mentioned that yachts may safely be moored to the bank anywhere above Acle, care being taken to avoid the obviously shallow parts.
In many places you will notice the eel-sets, which are fixed nets across the river for the purpose of intercepting the silver-bellied eels on their migration to the sea. These nets are only set at night, and there is a man in charge (sheltered in a rough sort of house-boat or hut), to lower the nets when craft are passing, so that they do not obstruct the navigation. Immense quantities of eels are caught in these nets, and it has been proved by an inquiry conducted by the Yare Preservation Society, that other fishes are not caught therein, and that the sport of the anglers is in no wise interfered with.
CHAPTER XII.
back to yarmouth.
Of course, we strolled upon the pier, and then returned to the quay-side by moonlight. We found that it was dead low water, and that the yacht had receded so much below the level of the quay, that no plank within reach would touch her. The man was in the forepeak fast asleep, and it was a long time before we could wake him, and then we jumped on to some wherries lying near, and he brought the jolly to us.
