214 Union Bay 



traits of seashore and mountain, other localities of which I 

 am especially fond. The sea provides unlimited vision. The 

 mountain views, though massive, may be considered more 

 restrictive, but the third dimension of depth more than com- 

 pensates. Both constantly emphasize the forces of nature: 

 the sea by the strength of the gales and the power of the 

 pounding waves, the mountains by the violent thunderstorms, 

 the rush of the streams, the onslaught of avalanches, and the 

 constant working of erosive action. Noise is always present 

 in both situations. Even in calm weather the sea never fails 

 to break with heavy impact on the scree of the beach, and 

 when fully aroused its sounds dominate miles of shore. The 

 rush of the cataracts, the wind in the trees, the movement 

 of the glaciers all vary the noises of the mountain, but the 

 result is not more insistent than that of the sea. Each has 

 its dramatic connotation: the sea with fleets, wrecks, explora- 

 tions, piracy, history, and adventure; the mountains with 

 grandeur, tragedy, daring, heroism, skill. 



The marsh did not fare well in comparison with these 

 heroic aspects. There was nothing three-dimensional about 

 it. If I looked in any direction my vision was soon out of the 

 cattails and into the surrounding business or residence dis- 

 tricts. There were lovely views from some points, but they 

 were not a part of the marsh itself. There were no great 

 storms or natural manifestations. The canoehouse manager 

 sometimes refused canoes to novices on blustery days, but 

 I went out regardless of wind or rain and was troubled 

 neither by storm nor by the swells of canal traffic. There 

 were no ominous warnings of great forces to be released, no 

 preliminary slipping of snow on steep slopes, no sighing of 

 wind which warned the climber to make for shelter. Prac- 

 tically all the marsh noises came from the rustle of trees and 

 smaller growth, or from the birds and mammals which moved 

 about in the locality. There were, to be sure, the sounds of 

 practicing crews and passing boats in the ship canal, and 



