274 THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
Paper Read.—Mr. Miller Christy, F.L.S., read a paper entitled "Dr.
Benjamin Allen (1664-1728), of Braintree : a forgotten Essex Naturalist." This
paper was illustrated by lantern-slides, and by the exhibition of Allen's
Commonplace-book, which had been kindly lent for the occasion by the Rev.
J. W. Kenworthy.
Remarks on the paper were made by Mr. Shenstone, Prof. Meldola, and
Mr. W. Cole, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Christy for his
interesting communication.
EXCURSION TO SOUTHEND, ACROSS THE MAPLIN
SANDS TO FOWLNESS, AND HOME FROM BURNHAM.
Saturday, June 20TH, 1908.
As is evident from the report in the Essex Naturalist (Vol. xv.,
pp. 49-54), the visit to Fowlness last year was a very enjoyable and instructive
one, and many members expressed their regret that they were unable to take
part in it. At the kind suggestion of Mr. John and Mr. W. J. Hepburn it was
decided to repeat the visit, but to vary the journey by starting from Southend.
This allowed of more time being spent on the Maplin Sands, and of a more
thorough examination of the most interesting parts of Fowlness, and a large party
of members availed themselves of this unique opportunity of seeing one of the
most curious sight in the "Daneland of Essex."1
From Southend on the arrival of the train at the Station, a drive was
taken in brakes to Wakering Stairs. At this point the party re-embarked in
four waggons provided by the kindness of Mr. John Hepburn, which were in
waiting, a process which was analogous to that of loading a caravan for a desert
march. The stout horses set off at at a round trot across that vast waste of
wet sand, which extends for seven miles—from the Stairs to Fisherman's Head.
The guiding points, to carry the analogy further, were not exactly desert
shrubs, but a line of small bunches of broom planted at intervals in the sand.
The conversation even at one time turned on the possibilities of mirage illusions,
and we gathered that occasionally such illusions had really occurred. A more
interesting topic, however, was of the real danger and peril to which travellers
from time to time had been subjected. One tale which is undoubtedly authentic
in the main we reproduce as a specimen. It happened many years ago. An
old fisherman who resided on the island, and who kept a pony, went, as usual,
on to the sands to attend to his "keddles." It was in the late afternoon, and
by the time he had finished he was glad to take advantage of what he considered
the shore light to guide him home, and he held steadily towards that light. To
his surprise, however, he did not reach it, and, what was more, the water began to
gather round about him. Thinking he had made a miscalculation of the time, he
kept on in the same direction, although the pony made many attempts to divert
him out of that course. Very soon the pony was swimming, and to his horror he
found before long that he had been making for one of the lights fixed out at sea.
He threw the reins on to the pony's neck and gave himself up for lost. That
1 The Editor very gladly acknowledges his indebtedness to Mr. Dymond and Mr. John
French in preparing this report.