ig8 LONGSHORE MEMORIES 
on to the top of a big pollard willow, if one was 
within reach. 
I was exploring a dyke one day that was fringed 
with the very finest marsh tangle I had ever seen. 
There were high plumed grasses, great burdocks with 
prickly burs that fasten tenaciously on to your cloth- 
ing, rankly growing to the height of a man's head. 
Water-docks with great leaves made rare cool cover 
for all the creatures that were about. I was in search 
of the rarer kinds of rails, but had to abandon the 
quest as I came on something that turned the current 
of my thoughts very effectually. One of our very 
active marsh cows had conducted her calf hither, as 
a refuge from the heat, and, by gently pressing her 
broad muzzle over the young thing, had given it to 
understand that it should lie down there. Down lay 
the calf, out of sight under the cool large leaves, and 
the cow, fully convinced that her offspring was com- 
fortable and in safe quarters, had gone a few yards 
further to feed on some delicate grass-tops. 
Somehow or other, I managed to stumble on that 
hidden calf, which forthwith jumped up, blaring out 
its terror. There was a bellow, and a crash ensued ; 
then some large red and white object flashed through 
the tangle before my eyes. A very confused idea of 
the scene remained in my memory : a kind of cow 
