LETTER XVII. 189 



densest covert they can find. He managed to 

 mark one covey into a fairly open spot amongst 

 the timber, and followed them. As he tells the 

 story, he got a brace from somewhere when he 

 next put them up, and then one after another he 

 caught glimpses of birds just disappearing amongst 

 the tree-tops in the distance. He could hear 

 them on the wing all the time ; but though he 

 kept his eye carefully on the fern, he never saw 

 one rise from it. At last he saw one whirl out 

 of a little pine-tree, and on looking closer saw 

 another perched there watching him. One after 

 another he put the birds out of the trees, in whose 

 branches they had lodged, and came home vowing 

 that the most uncivilized things in America were 

 the grouse, who sat in tree-tops until you stoned 

 them to death, and the quail, who behaved more 

 like tomtits than game-birds. Whatever their 

 shortcomings may have been, the calls of the 

 scattered bevy made very sweet music as we 

 rowed leisurely home towards nightfall to where 

 the harbour lights were already gleaming on the 

 quiet wave. There is no use in denying that 

 the atmosphere of Victoria is peaceful and restful 

 in the extreme. It is not only the dreamy 

 languor of the night to which I am looking back 

 which has impressed me ; not only the stillness 

 of San Juan's waters, or the shadows of the 



