An Autobiography of an Ancient Athlete & Antiquarian

AUTOBIOGRAPHY 181 ham, and training to Hillington and then riding on to Lynn, very tired, very slow and very saddle sore. Next day I cycled over to South Wootton to Red Smith's, who had accepted a berth under the Valuation Act, but on the Sunday I was too "done'' to cycle, so motored by Docking to Hunstanton, where I slept (?) at Beloe's, but the wind was so high that I hardly closed my eyes. Luckily on the 3rd the wind was a strong rear one, and I never got out of my saddle till I reached Wells (17 miles). In the afternoon I took the train to see the ruins of Walsingham, a very slow and sleepy but quaint village~ I slept at the '' Crown " at Wells, and the next day cycled over to Cromer (23½ miles) and traiued to North Walsham, sleeping at the '' King's Head," and home next day very tired after a magnificent performance of about 60 miles in five days. Quantum mutatus I All this autumn we were persecuted by having to fill up an immense number of Land Revenue Returns, and when I left five bundles of them at the Tomblaud Office there was no one there to receive them ! In the genial company of R.J.W.P., Daniels of Neatis– head and the local antiquary, Clarke of Stalham, I had a better cycle ride, calling on the Rev. M. Bird, of Brunstead, and so on to Palling, where we tried to feed on prehistoric food but failed, and then went on to Waxham Old Hall, the most melancholy and deserted place I ever saw, and did not do much better at the ''Swan" at Stalham, where we slept. He went home by rail, but I kept on over very soft roads by Seo' Ruston, Bacton (where it came on to rain), Paston, Edingthorpe, and North Walsham, where (wet through) I lunched at the "King's Head" and came home dog-tired. My uectarines, &c., were planted (from Morse's) at Lammas on the 12th October, but I got no fruit off them to speak of till 1914. This month my son Gilly, who was starting for Sydney by the ''Norseman" to try his luck abroad, came to say good-bye. I parted with him with regret, and my entry in my diary was, "A good boy, and one of the three of my children who never said an unkind word to their father." Still feeling very unwell I had a long consultation 1 with Dr. Starling as to my heart and constipation, and was