NATURE NEAR LONDON 



too, from her rudder. Steering athwart with a 

 widening angle from the land, she is laid to clear 

 the distant point of Dungeness. Next, a steamer 

 glides forth, unseen till she passed the cliff; and 

 thus each vessel that comes from the westward has 

 the charm of the unexpected. Eastward there is 

 many a sail working slowly into the wind, and as 

 they approach talking in the language of flags with 

 the watch on the summit of the Head. 



Once now and then the great Orient pauses 

 on her outward route to Australia, slowing her 

 engines: the immense length of her hull contains 

 every adjunct of modern life ; science, skill, and 

 civilisation are there. She starts, and is lost sight 

 of round the cliff, gone straight away for the very 

 ends of the world. The incident is forgotten, 

 when one morning, as you turn over the news- 

 paper, there is the Orient announced to start again. 

 It is like a tale of enchantment ; it seems but 

 yesterday that the Head hid her from view ; you 

 have scarcely moved, attending to the daily routine 

 of life, and scarce recognise that time has passed 

 at all. In so few hours has the earth been 

 encompassed. 



The sea-gulls as they settle on the surface ride 



high out of the water, like the mediaeval cara- 



vals, with their sterns almost as tall as the masts. 



Their unconcerned flight, with crooked wings 



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