WILD LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 29 



almost exactly like the unravelling of a spotless gar- 

 ment, the threads wavering and twisting as they are 

 carried along by the current, diminishing till they fade 

 and are lost in the ocean of blue. This breaking of 

 the clouds is commonly seen in weather that promises 

 to be fine. From the brow here you may note a soli- 

 tary cloud just risen above the horizon ; it floats 

 slowly toward us ; presently it divides into several 

 parts ; these, again, fall away in jagged, irregular 

 pieces like flecks of foam. By the time it has reached 

 the zenith these flecks have lengthened out, and shortly 

 afterwards the cloud has entirely melted and is gone. 

 The delicate hue, the contrast of the fleecy white with 

 the deepest azure, the ever-changing form, the light 

 shining through the gauzy texture, the gentle dreamy 

 motion, lend these clouds an exquisite beauty. 



After a while the faint breeze increases, but changes 

 in character ; it blows steadily, and the " sish, sish " 

 of the bennets as it rushes through them becomes 

 incessant. A sense of oppression weighs on the chest ; 

 in the midst of the wind, on the verge of the hill, you 

 sigh for a breath of air. This is not air : it is simply 

 heat in motion. It is like the simoom of the desert 

 producing a feeling of intense weariness. Previously 

 the distant ridges of the downs were shaded by a dim 

 haze hovering over them, toning the rolling curves 

 and softening the bolder bluffs. Now they become 

 distinct ; each line is drawn clearly and stands out ; 

 the definition is like that which occurs before rain, 

 only without the illusion of nearness. 



