INSULAR LIFE. 73 



and pierced to the surface of the water, which shone in 

 spots through the gloom like the fragments of a broken 

 mirror : these lucid touches caught my childish fancy ; 

 but my favourite spot was not yet attained. Not until 

 I had rounded the rib of the promontory on which 

 stood the grey castle, and came to another face of it, 

 did I obtain the object of my ramble. At this turn of the 

 stream I found myself in a small lonely meadow 

 sprinkled with cowslips, upon which opened two 

 wooded valleys, each watered by a small stream, which 

 at their junction washed out a deep hole ; and at the 

 foot of the hole a small gravel heap was thrown up, 

 upon which grew the yellow iris, and some other 

 vegetation. In Lilliput it would have been termed an 

 island : so in truth it was. I know not hoAV it happened, — 

 unless, indeed, that I was strictly enjoined not to go near 

 the water, — but I had a decided propensity to establish 

 my little person on this insular spot. For some time I was 

 either very good, or very much afraid — it matters not 

 which, — and the achievement was dubious. At length the 

 demon of temptation appeared in the form of a dragon- 

 fly, which, glancing from some branches that extended 

 across the stream a little above, danced up and down in 

 the air in all its gaudy trim, and at length settled on 

 an iris in this enchanted island. I stood enraptured on 

 the bank with my arms outstretched, and my longing 

 eyes fixed upon the beauty. It was irresistible — I 

 could hold out no longer. So mustering up my 

 naughty courage, and letting myself gently down the 

 bank, I paddled through a little shallow water, till I 

 actually set foot safely on the desired spot. Here I 



