EAST LONDON 205 



that was almost black to glowing brick-red. 

 The wind was so strong that it was a labour to 

 walk against it ; but as I walked along the river 

 I came on a solitary swan, and as though 

 alarmed he rose up and flew away before me 

 with a very free powerful flight in the face of 

 the wind ; but he flew low, and for a distance of 

 a quarter of a mile his white wings shining in 

 the sun looked wonderfully bright and beautiful 

 against the vivid green expanse. The swans in 

 this' part of the Eiver Lea are the property of 

 the Water Company, but they fly about very 

 freely, and are like wild birds. Larks, too, 

 were soaring to sing on that day in spite of the 

 wind's violence ; first one fluttered up before 

 me, then a second, then a third, and by-and-by 

 I had four high overhead within hearing at the 

 same time. It struck me as a great thing to 

 hear four larks at one time in a metropolitan 

 open space, for the lark is fast dying out in the 

 neighbourhood of London. I greatly doubt if 

 these birds on the Marsh ever succeed in bring- 

 ing off any young ; but the large green space is 

 a great attraction, and it is probable that a few 

 stragglers from the country settle down every 

 spring, and that the numbers are thus kept up. 



