THE BRISTOL CHANNEL. 105 



the beautiful Bristol Chanuel, with its white-sailed 

 craft beating up against the faint easterly breeze, and 

 to gaze down on the romantic coves and rocks about 

 Rillage point ; the ridges of slaty rock running out 

 edgewise into the sea, the oarweeds oxidifuci laid bare 

 about their bases by the recess of the tide, and the 

 beaches between of smooth grey sand, still wet with 

 the recent water. Jackdaws, recognized by their grey 

 polls, were shooting out from the clefts of the preci- 

 pices, and hovering round with shrill cawings, pre- 

 sently returning to the crevices which doubtless 

 contained the callow objects of their parental solici- 

 tude. 



Fair is the dark [blue] deep ; by night and day 

 Unvex'd with storms, the peaceful billows play ; 



The firmament above is bright and clear ; 

 The sea-fowl, lords of water, air, and land. 



Joyous alike upon the wing appear, 

 Or when they ride the waves, or walk the sand ; 



Beauty and light and joy are everywhere. 



ELehama, XV. 13. 



Farther on, a pair of Rock Doves, alarmed probably 

 at the sound of my footsteps, darted forth from the 

 ivy-mantled cliff, just beneath me, and flew away on 

 rapid wing side by side. They too probably had the 

 *' home where'er the heart is", in some rugged nook in 

 these inaccessible heights. I was now above Water- 

 mouth, the outlet of a little stream, which at low water 

 (as nowO winds along a channel through a muddy 

 creek to the sea ; but which at high tide is lost at the 

 head of the inlet, which is then filled by the sea. It is 

 a very romantic creek, being walled in as it were by 



