The Tribe of the Wild Swans 



loch, and there, near the outlet where the burn has its 

 source, were the swans. 



The company had been reinforced since we last saw 

 them, and among them were two young birds. Although 

 all the swans appeared to be dozing, they gradually changed 

 their positions. Shining full on them, the moon lit up 

 their snowy plumage, seeming to impart to it a tinge of 

 warmth in which an artist's eye would have delighted. And 

 indeed, are not the wild swans things of mysterious beauty 

 in that they are, according to old Highland traditions, often 

 none other than kings' children under enchantment? Have 

 they not been seen on wild and lonely lochs, where they 

 considered themselves secure from human gaze, to put away 

 their plumage and assume human shape in their unsuccessful 

 efforts to free themselves from the spells under which they 

 have been cast ? 



As we watched them from the shelter of a great boulder, 

 the light of the breaking day contended with the beams 

 of the moon, and tints of red appeared among the clouds 

 crossing the hill away to the south-east of us. All around 

 us grouse awakened, crowing lustily as they left their beds 

 of rime-flecked heather. A mallard, flying up the loch and 

 emerging suddenly from the dusk, settled in the water, 

 beside us, swimming carelessly around, and quacking ex- 

 citedly as though challenging any possible rival in the 

 neighbourhood; but his suspicions being aroused, he flew 

 off again as suddenly as he had arrived. With the coming 

 of daylight the swans roused themselves, frequently rising 

 up in the water and vigorously flapping their wings. Soon 

 they commenced to feed on the grass and weeds preserved 

 from the frost beneath the water's surface, swimming quite 

 close to us without suspicion as they breakfasted. The 

 two immature birds, conspicuous from their fellows by 

 reason of their plumage of brownish grey colour, fed by 

 themselves for the most part. Until full daylight we 

 watched the family party, and endeavoured to leave our 



