382 



The Petrels 



much at the mercy of that vengeful sea, and fully 

 conscious of the fact. Poor men ! I knew somehow 

 that they would not harm me, knew too that I should 

 here find food. Felt strangely certain that in some 

 mysterious way we had been friends for many genera- 

 tions : that is, my forefathers had with theirs, and the 

 knowledge had come down to me. So I fluttered 

 about and about her, noting her every detail, and 

 especially the half-admiring, half-pitying glances cast 

 upon me by the men who stood clutching some support, 

 all over her. 



As I hovered around her my liking for her increased, 

 and especially for the sweet, the delicious morsels 

 which continually floated away from her in the broad 

 smooth space she left as she drifted sidelong. I was 

 very busy, happy of course, but kept fully employed 

 because these morsels did not cloy, but rather tempted 

 my vigorous, healthy appetite. And besides I felt 

 prouder than ever, because I was sure that those strange 

 beings were continually admiring me, and wondering 

 at my familiarity with the terrible sea, which was so 

 threatening to them. And then suddenly there came 

 the great joy of my life. Had I been able to tell my 

 experience to any, I should have said that my joy was 

 full, complete, but I did not know. 



As I fluttered around her for the thousandth time, 

 I met one of my own kind. For the moment I was 

 indignant. The ship was mine by right of discovery. 

 Who else dare intrude, and by what right ? And then 

 with a sweet, low voice the new-comer introduced 

 herself. Oh, the exquisite sound of it ! I flew to her 

 side, I found her, she was mine. The climax to my 

 joy was reached, it was love ! First hunger, then fear ; 

 succeeded conscious effort, sense of power overcoming, 

 and now love. The sea, the sky, the ship, the food. 



