86 BY-WAYS AND BIRPD-NOTES. 
ginal ripples of the river leaped with low whis- 
perings, constantly grew brighter and greener 
as we advanced Overhead the sky was 
purely blue and clear, with just a hint of the 
yellow sunlight flung athwart it. In mid-air, 
above the mountain’s shadow, there hung a 
misty splendor, such as is often seen on very 
hot days hovering over water. A fragrance, 
which strengthened apace with our motion, 
reached my sense, as if from some gradually 
opened pot pourri of all sweet, spicy things. 
The great, belted kingfisher seemed to feel 
this as he led on, flinging back at us the chat- 
ter of his voice and the rich, silken clash of 
his wings. 
I was now aware of an obscure feeling of 
restless expectancy beginning to infuse itself 
through me. I turned half about to look at 
my guide. He made a frightful grimace at me 
for rocking the boat, and glancing down I saw 
some minute sprays of water bubble over the 
gunwale! Out through the momentary scowl 
of the guide’s face his vast age seemed to leer 
like a wild demon. Those bubbles leaping 
over the boat’s rotten side reminded me of 
how easily it might swamp in the rapids. 
With a little twinge of self-rebuke for my 
thoughtlessness, I resumed my former posi- 
tion. 
Within these last few moments of time, 
some change of no doubtful sort, but still a 
change which eludes expression even now, 
had taken place in the general appearance of | 
all surrounding things. It may have been an 
atmospheric or chromatic variance, it may 
have been merely the mutations of the evening 
shadows hovering in this low valley ; but, from 
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