our left. Ahead of us stretches the Colne, with the young flood bearing us up towards Colchester.

We have now come to a business centre of the yachting interests, where the inhabitants are all more or less dependent on this luxurious pastime. There are always many yachts lying up at Brightlingsea Creek, and many more about six miles farther up the Colne at Wivenhoe and Rowhedge, otherwise called East Donyland.

Abreast of Mersey Point there are also usually several large steam and sailing yachts at anchor. One fine steam yacht of about 700 tons was pointed out to us, which had been at her moorings over three years. She belonged to an American we were told. There seems a want of progress about this gentleman not usual in his countrymen. Pretty as we found the entrance to the Colne, we fancy we should feel it a little monotonous if we had to lie there for three years at anchor in a vessel perfectly found in every respect and well suited to cruise round the world.

As the tide is fair to carry us up to Wivenhoe, and will also do to bring us back again, we decide to stand up the Colne as far as we can with comfort, and then put about and anchor off Brightlingsea for the night.

The channel is marked with a buoy or two here and there, but they are not very conspicuous. However, until about a mile past Alresford Creek on our right, over which the branch line from Colchester to Brightlingsea passes, the channel is easy, lying for the most part in mid-stream.

After passing Alresford Creek keep to the starboard side until we can see right down to Wivenhoe, when bear over to the left, and keep so for half a mile. Then steer in mid-stream straight for Wivenhoe. The land is rather high on the right, and the wind, being north-east comes in puffs. This is the more bothering, as the channel is very narrow, and there are a good many craft about. Wivenhoe is a kind of Essex Haslar Creek, and is wholly devoted to yachts. Certainly it is a very handy place, and there is no other creek so suitable for its easy access to London as this Colne River. The Crouch might very easily

compete with it; indeed, to our minds it is far preferable, and is destined in the future, now that the Great Eastern have opened it up so effectually by their new line, to become the handiest place for Londoners. At present it takes the same time to get to Wivenhoe, although the distance is considerably greater, as it does to get to Burnham; but once the Crouch gets known it is certain to go rapidly ahead. Its advantages are so much greater in every way. It is nearer town, has deeper water, is a finer creek, and is much easier to get into. It is Colchester which has made the Colne more important. But for pleasant easy sailing, we have no tidal waters near London which can offer such attractions as the Crouch.

There is nothing to induce us to stay at Wivenhoe. We might sail up to the Hythe at Colchester if we like, but there is little gained by it, and the channel is narrow and shallow. Colchester is a fine old town, but we can visit it more conveniently by taking the train from Brightlingsea. So down with the helm and let her come round. It is a soldier's wind back again fortunately, for if we had to beat down the creek we should find it tedious work. The view down the river is prettier than it was coming up. The country is hilly on each side, and here and there old farmhouses peep out from their sheltering copses hard by.

As we pass Langenhoe Creek we see Peldon Church tower some two miles inland. This church suffered greatly from the earthquake which did such damage to Layer Marney Towers.

In entering Brightlingsea Creek from the Colne we must be careful not to get aground on the spit which stretches out some way from the north-east shore. The creek itself is very shallow, and if we go far in we shall ground on the mud.

If we can find room, the best place to bring up is off the hard, which here is a kind of low, wooden causeway, reaching down nearly to low-water mark.

There is nothing to see in Brightlingsea itself, but if we have energy enough we ought to visit St. Osyth Priory. It is possible to row up to within a quarter of a mile of it, but the more certain way is to land on the east shore, and walk up. The house is interesting, although at the dissolution of the monasteries the

greater part of the monastic buildings were pulled down. The estates were granted to Lord Cromwell, but very soon after reverted to the Crown. In the reign of Edward VI. a son of the Danbury D'Arcys, who seemed to have had the career of his neighbour, Lord Marney, before his eyes, managed to obtain a grant of the estates and a peerage besides, being raised to the House of Lords by the style of Baron Darcy of Chiche. He was thus the third or fourth Essex man who rose high in Court favour during the Tudor period, and on the ruins of the ancient religion. This priory of St. Osyth was a wealthy one. The foundress was a Saxon princess, who was married much against her will to Sighere. Her husband seems to have been glad to get rid of her, for she speedily took herself off and built the convent at Chiche. The Danes, however, were less indulgent to her views of life, and offered her the choice between death or domestic felicity. She preferred the former, whereupon the pagans promptly chopped off her head. The Saxon princess, with much resolution, followed the example of St. Denys, and, picking up her severed head in her hands, walked as far as the porch of the church she had founded, knocked at the door, and then fell down. Her shrine became very rich, and Lord Cromwell came in for a good thing for a short time, until he also was beheaded.

The gate-house and a portion of the old monastic buildings remain, but Lord Darcy seems to have rebuilt a great part of the house, and it has been added to at subsequent dates.

From the Darcys the estate passed to the Savages, Lords Rivers, and on the death of the last Lord Savage, the natural daughter of the last Earl, who had married a follower of William of Orange, and a member of the Statholder's family, succeeded to the estates. This lady's husband, Frederick Zuleistein de Nassau, was created Earl of Rochford in right of his wife, and there are some monuments to this family in the church, where also are the tombs of the Darcys.

There are some very fine shrubs and trees in the park at St. Osyth, and the first Lombardy poplars ever reared in England were grown there, brought home from Italy by the second Lord Rochford

After seeing the church there is nothing more to detain us, and we go back to our ship. It is somewhat curious to note that Brightlingsea used to be a member of the Cinque Ports, and belonged to the borough and port of Sandwich, in Kent.

There still prevail some strange old-world customs in this neighbourhood. The outrageous feudal right, called "Burough English" or "Droit du Seigneur," was held by the De Veres, in their manor of Great Bentley, and the right of the youngest child, male or female, to succeed to copyhold property prevailed in Little Bentley parish.

Perhaps these are rather prosy details, but, after saying that there are some martello towers like the ones all along the south coast between Dover and Dungeness, we think we have said all there is to say.

We sleep in the quiet little creek in perfect tranquillity, and are fast forgetting that such a place as London exists.

CHAPTER XII.

FROM THE COLNE TO HARWICH.

WE have a good outside bit of sailing to do to-day. When once we are clear of the Colne Bar and the Eagle Bank we can keep near the shore all the way up to Walton. It is best to start with the first of the ebb from Brightlingsea, as we shall then carry the tide right down with us. The directions for going out of the Colne are the same as for entering, only reversed, naturally.

As we have plenty of water we can pass to the eastward, between the bar and Colne Point, and so sail inside of the Eagle and Priory Spit Buoy (a conical red buoy) until we are abreast of Clacton Pier. It is as well not to keep in too closeabout three-quarters of a mile off the shore will do-as halfway between Clacton Pier and Priory Spit is a bank called the Collier, with only 4ft. of water on it. This bank lies off what is known as Lion Spit, and is half-way between martello towers Nos. 3 and 4.

There is no shelter whatever off Clacton. However much the social attractions of the bright little place may allure, we had better not come to an anchor off here unless the wind is off shore, and likely to remain there. This coast lies nearly north-east and south-west, so it is exposed to the drift of the worst winds that blow over our part of the world.

It is quite possible to sail round to Clacton and remain at anchor during the day if the wind is off shore, but to stay over the night is not wise.