THE INFINITE SEA 183 



that of the clouds. The waves toss their spume into 

 this triumphant flora, silencing for a while the chirrup 

 of the grasshopper, and driving the bee from the sea 

 convolvulus. In the rock pools we catch the snake- 

 like spotted gunnel, and scarcely ten yards up the 

 green bank we have seen the slow-worm reluctantly 

 drag away its silvery coils as we climbed over its 

 basking-place. 



We know of the vetch and knapweed and hemp 

 agrimony because we slide and tumble through them 

 on our way to the sea. In the middle distance they 

 become mere velvet bosses, capable of intense 

 brilliance when the sun strikes them fully. Then the 

 cliffs fire with purple, the sea becomes turquoise and 

 emerald, the sky glows like a bowl of sapphire, the 

 whole scene is in the highest key of magnificent joy. 

 We like to have the tide out beyond the flats for this 

 mood. The sea loses a little of its turquoise when 

 it is stirred with sand, and the brilliance of the 

 deep water has a better neighbour in the flats of 

 ironstone and shale and the miles of orange " pop- 

 weed." 



There is nothing of the monotony of sunshine this 

 summer. Our bay is, in fact, far more often in some 

 other mood. The wind strikes the note of rain, and 

 soon the sky, the sea, the shore are one leaden grey. 

 Below, the solid sea or a sea of steel ; above, an 

 atmosphere almost as effectively wet, a sort of sea 

 in suspense. A mile or two away, upper and under 

 wetness run together in a neutral chaos. Dazzling 

 gulls and a few bursting waves make the most of a 

 perfect background for their whiteness. On another 

 day the sea just lay and brooded its next mischief or 



