Littleport, the next station to Ely, the last island refuge
of Hereward the Wake, is better known than the Huntingdon- shire Fens, and may be called the H.Q. of Fen skating, because of the frequency of spacious floods. But even a champion race on a Littleport course, or on Lingay Fen, is less character- istic, and even less amusing, than the sight of Fen skaters of rather less skill and speed, setting forth on long friendly expeditions down the dyke roads. The figures are curiously suggestive of the duck and geese which they will not improbably flush. They prefer companies of five or six ; moving very close to one another, and keeping formalion as the duck do for perhaps like reason : the leader breaks the air resistance, and surrenders his post of extra labour to successive followers.
The typical Fen skater stoops very low and swings his arms vigorously from side to side, and very low down ; and the group keep absolute time. The Scandinavian expert has a more attractive style, and usually prefers to clasp his hands behind the back ; but half the secret lies in the lean forward, and the swing of the shoulder to the stroke. Figure skating is a fine and delightful art, proper to rinks and ponds ; but even its most ardent votaries would do well to test the enjoyment of a long run over miles of country when the season permits.
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