6 THE LONE SWALLOWS 



uprushing from the rocks, and took sticks 

 in black beaks to the ledge where they 

 had nested throughout the years. The 

 male bird watched upon a spar while his 

 mate with throaty chucklings built anew 

 the old mass of rubbish where her eggs 

 would be laid. Sometimes he fed her with 

 carrion filched from a pearly gull by the 

 flashing and sunpointed foam, and she 

 gabbled with pleasure. Ever and anon 

 the fleeing specks of the swallows passed 

 near, winding in and out, floating and 

 diving, " garrulous as in Cassar's time." 

 Like kittens in distress the buzzards wailed, 

 spreading vast brown canvas that enabled 

 them to sail high among those silver and 

 phantom galleons, the clouds. Steamers 

 passing to the Severn basin left smoke trails 

 on the horizon; the life of the sea and land, 

 wild and civilised, went on; but no other 

 swallows arrived. Light of heart the 

 wanderer watched, and waited. Any day, 

 new born and blessed by Aurora, would 



