354 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



have been reached by man ; and they are marked by 

 the swiftness of their flight, and the height to -which 

 they soar : 



"Vainly the fowler's eye, 

 Might mark thy distant flight, to do thee wrong; 

 As darkly painted on the crimson sky. 

 Thy figure floats along. 

 " Seek'st thou the plashy brink, 

 Of weedy lake, or merge of river wide^ 

 Or where the rocking billows rise and sink 

 On the chaffed ocean side ; 

 "There is a Power, whose care 

 Teaches thy way along the pathless coast, 

 The desert and illimitable air, 



Lone wandering, but not lost. 

 " Thou'rt gone! thy abyss of heaven 

 Hath swallowed up thy form!" 



If few, they fly in one line, but if numerous, in 

 two, converging to a point like the letter A turned 

 upside down, and they are always led by an old ex- 

 perienced gander. They make their appearance in 

 Hudson Bay in spring, going north, where great 

 quantities are taken, and salted for a winter's store ; 

 and on their return in winter, they are killed and 

 frozen up for fresh provisions. They are easily 

 domesticated, and readily pair with the common gray 

 goose ; but their wings must be cut to prevent their 

 absconding, for on the approach of spring they are 

 always observed to become restless and uneasy, fre- 

 quently looking up into the air, making attempts to 

 fly away, and hailing every flock of their wild 

 brethren that passes over their heads, who always ac- 

 knowledge and return the salute. 



The Barnacle Goose, or Brant Goose, is common 

 to the northern regions of both continents, emigrat- 

 ing to more temperate climates in autumn and winter. 



