in our country at least. In lands like Scandi- The Sons 



navia and Russia the periodicity and uniformity 



of the snow-raiment of earth take much from 



this element of surprise. Hardly have the 



inhabitants grown used to the greenness of 



grass and sprouting grain and fluttering leaf, 



after the long months of a silent whiteness 



become dreadful as a shroud, when a grey pall 



is spun out of the east once more and out of 



the north comes the wind of death, and the 



leaf is gone away on the polar air, the grain is 



gathered or withered, the sere grass fades like 



wintry grey-green seas fading into continual 



foam. 



Not so with us, who have those visitors, who 

 can be so dread even here, for so short a time. 

 The dark sword-thrust of the ice, compelling 

 moving waters to silence and the blue rigour 

 of steel, may reign for weeks in the Anglian 

 fen-lands. Dense mantles of snow may cover 

 the hills of the north for months, and the 

 foreheads of Nevis and Schiehallion be white 

 from the autumnal equinox till cuckoo -cry : 

 for weeks the hill-fox and the mountain-hare 

 may not drink at the frozen tarns, the moor- 

 pastures may be lost to deer and sheep, and 

 only the ptarmigan survive in the waste white 

 places : for a week or two the boughs of the 

 oak and chestnut, the plumes of the spruce 

 69 



