THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
253
Anglo-Saxons, in battle with the Danes, "arrayed by Panta's stream." Mr. Fitch
read this heroic fragment with an evident pleasure, which communicated itself to
his hearers.14 Mr. Andrew Johnston inquired afterwards whether there were any
descendants of the Danes (who had now very light blue eyes) in the neighbour-
hood. Mr. Fitch said the old Norsemen were many of them supposed to have
dark eyes and red hair, and the general opinion seemed to be that distinctions of
race had been lost.
The tide was now full, but there was not a breath of wind, and the broad
waters of the estuary were smooth as glass. The company went down to dinner
in two parties, and spent a long time over the repast, which was highly creditable
to the "King's Head" caterer. Some surprise was excited on their return on
St. Peter's Chapel, Bkadwell-on-Sea. Drawn by H. A. COLE from a Water-colour
Sketch by the Rev. H. M. Milligan.
deck to find that so little progress had been made towards home. The barge was
slowly tacking across the river—sometimes nearer to Bradwell chapel, again
nearer the square tower of East Mersea church, but as these two points were
approximately opposite, never a yard nearer Maldon. For a long time, however,
no alarm was felt. Seawards, the town of Brightlingsea was dimly visible, and,
as in the land of the Lotus Eaters, "all round the coast the languid air did
swoon." At length, the voyagers began to ask when they were going to lose
14 The Cottonian MS., containing this valuable fragment, perished in the fire at Dean's-yard,
Westminster. Oct. 23rd, 1731. We owe the preservation of the poem to Thomas Hearne, who
printed it at the end of his edition of the "Chronicle of John of Glastonbury" (1726). For the
Saxon text, see Benjamin Thorpe's "Analecta Anglo-Saxonica," 1834 ed., pp. 121—130; 1846
ed., pp. 131—141.