202 THE COMMON OTTER. 



which way he had taken. Somerville has de- 

 scribed the chace of the Otter, apparently with 

 great correctness, but in terms somewhat too 

 animated for those persons who have no delight 

 in blood. 



On the soft sand 



See there his seal impress'd ! And on that bank 

 Behold the glittering spoils, half-eaten fish, 

 Scales, fins, and bones, the leavings of his feast. 

 Ah ! on that yielding sag-bed, see, once more 

 His seal I view. O'er yon dark rushy marsh 

 The sly goose-footed prowler bends his course, 

 And seeks the distant shallows. 



See, there he dives along! 

 Th' ascending bubbles mark his gloomy way. 

 Quick fix the nets, and cut off his retreat 

 Into the shelt'ring deeps. Ah, there he vents! 

 The pack lunge headlong, and protended spears 

 Menace destruction. 



Ah, there once more he vents! 



See, that bold Hound has seiz'd him: down they sink, 

 Together lost: but soon shall he repent 

 His rash assault. See there escap'd, he flies 

 Half drown'd, and clambersl&p the slipp'ry bank 

 With ooze and blood distain'd. Again he vents; 

 Again the crowd attack. That spear has pierc'd 

 His neck ; the crimson waves confess the wound. 

 Fix'd is the bearded lance, unwelcome guest, 

 Where'er he flies ; with him it sinks beneath, 

 With him it mounts ; sure guide to ev'ry foe. 

 Inly he groans, nor can his tender wound 

 Bear the cold stream. Lo ! to yon sedgy bank 

 He creeps disconsolate ; his numerous foes 

 Surround him, hounds and men. Pierc'd through and through, 

 On pointed spears they lift him high in air; 



he hangs, and grins and bites in vain. 



When 



