NURSLINGS OF THE SKY 



behind, one may come upon strange things 

 in its tumultuous privacy. I like these 

 truces of wind and heat that the desert 

 makes, otherwise I do not know how I 

 should come by so many acquaintances 

 with furtive folk. I like to see hawks sit- 

 ting daunted in shallow holes, not daring 

 to spread a feather, and doves in a row by 

 the prickle bushes, and shut-eyed cattle, 

 turned tail to the wind in a patient doze. 

 I like the smother of sand among the 

 dunes, and finding small coiled snakes in 

 open places, but I never like to come in a 

 wind upon the silly sheep. The wind robs 

 them of what wit they had, and they seem 

 never to have learned the self-induced hyp- 

 notic stupor with which most wild things 

 endure weather stress. I have never heard 

 that the desert winds brought harm to any 

 other than the wandering shepherds and 

 260 



