Puffin Island 



was general, continuous ; high-pitched " He-hohs ! " 

 and deeper " Ha-ha-has ! " mingling to form a 

 shout of defiance rather than a cry of fear ; while 

 the " Kit-a-eys ! " of the kittiwakes were like 

 the whimpering of children in a crowd stirred to 

 fiercer outcry. There is something awe-inspiring 

 in this wild cry of an excited host of sea-birds. 

 I had heard it before as I stood on the mainland, 

 but to be among it, the object of the many- voiced 

 clamour, produced an indescribable feeling, so that 

 only the ridiculous smallness of one's own voice 

 against that ceaseless roar kept one from shouting 

 also. For a man is not yet so far removed from 

 the common centre of life but a great natural cry 

 like this will arouse in him something of the impulse 

 which inspires it. 



When we visited Puffin Island late in July of 

 the previous year, the sea at the foot of this east 

 cliff was dotted over with hundreds of young gulls, 

 whose mottled plumage gave no promise of the 

 distinction to which they would later attain. Now 

 eggs and newly hatched chicks were the order of 

 the day. 



In the course of our circuit of the island, a pair 

 of oyster-catchers went out of their way to upbraid 

 us. It was evident that they had young out among 

 the loose stones of the tumbled-down walls in the 

 neighbourhood of the tower which stands on the 

 central ridge of the island, and is stated to be part 

 of a certain St. Seiriol's Church which formerly stood 



2 55 



