MIGRANTS. 235 



here you have no postman, no importunate creditor, 

 no cravers for charity, no disgusting specimens of 

 wretched, debased humanity. 



During the latter portion of our march I had 

 frequently heard a noise, so subdued by distance 

 that I could scarcely be certain what bird produced 

 it. Now I was about to learn, for loud and clamorous 

 became the formerly doubtful voices. Raising my 

 eyes aloft, against the gradually decreasing opal tints 

 of the western heavens were thousands of birds circling 

 around, one flight apparently being over the other, 

 till the more distant totally disappeared in the altitude 

 that they had obtained. As I supposed these birds 

 not to be nocturnal, I impatiently waited to see them 

 alight ; nor was I kept waiting, for as the long, dark 

 shadows of trees and rocks that precede darkness 

 were rapidly elongating themselves across the veldt, 

 and mingling more thoroughly with each other, a 

 few of the nearest birds closed their wings and, 

 with rapid swoop, descended upon the earth. This 

 seemed to be the signal for all to do likewise, for 

 with one accord the most distant and the nearest at 

 hand followed the example set them, until the plain 

 was covered by many thousands. 



