MARCH. WILD-SWANS. 197 



the dark blue water, and their shadows almost as 

 distinct as themselves. They all held their heads 

 erect, watching the boy, who, as he had been 

 instructed, walked to and fro opposite the birds 

 and sufficiently near to put them up, but without 

 appearing to be in pursuit of them. I hoped by 

 this means to drive them over to the loch where I 

 was concealed without frightening them so much 

 as to make them take off to the sea ; but they 

 seemed so unwilling to rise, and so little afraid of 

 the boy, whom they appeared to look at with curi- 

 osity rather than alarm, that I struck a light in 

 order to smoke the pipe of patience and resignation, 

 for, fine as the day was for March, my situation in 

 a damp island and wet through above my knees 

 began to be uncomfortable. 



The latakia was not half puffed away when I 

 heard the well-known warning cry of the swans, 

 and immediately looking round saw them just 

 napping along the water preparatory to their flight. 

 Cocking my gun, and holding the pipe tighter in my 

 teeth, I waited anxiously to see in what direction 

 they would fly. At first they made straight east- 

 ward, as if off for the bay of Findhorn, but after a 

 short flight in that direction they turned, and I saw 

 them coming three and three together, as usual, 

 straight towards where I was concealed. In a few 



