CAMPANERO. 185 



choly note, which resembles the toll of a church- 

 bell, may be heard at the distance of three miles. 

 He generally perches on the topmost branch of an 

 aged mora, and neither sound nor song from any of 

 the winged inhabitants of the forest, not even the 

 clearly-pronounced whip-poor-will, causes such asto- 

 nishment as the toll of the campanero. You may 

 hear his toll, and then he pauses for a minute ; then 

 a toll, and again a pause. Then he is silent for 

 perhaps a quarter of an hour, again a toll is heard, 

 and all is still again. "Action," as Waterton 

 observes, " would halt in mid chase, Maria would 

 defer her evening song, and Orpheus himself 

 would stop his lute to listen, so sweet, so novel, and 

 romantic is the toll of the pretty snow-white campa- 

 nero." Here, too, is heard the one, solitary, reiterated 

 word houtou, koutou, which comes at intervals upon 

 the ear, as the distinct and mournful voice of one 

 who has lost his way in the wild forest, and who 

 calls, and calls again, in hope of a reply. And there 

 also resounds the cry of the whip-poor-will. " Lone 

 whip-poor-will !" thus sung the sweetest of the poets 

 of America, one who has a fine feeling for nature, 

 and who has watched her in her wildest solitudes : 



Lone whip-poor-will ! 



There is much sweetness in thy fitful hymn, 

 Heard in the drowsy watches of the night. 

 Ofttimes when all the village lights are out, 

 And the wide air is still, I hear thee chant 

 Thy hollow dirge, like some recluse who takes 

 His lodging in the wilderness of woods, 

 And lifts his anthem when the world is still ; 

 And the dim, solemn night, that brings to man 



