2 NATURE IN ACADIE. 



of the autumn evening, and when we are fairly out in 

 the Mersey the upper deck rapidly becomes deserted. 

 Gradually the town is left behind, and the rows of lights 

 on either shore grow fewer and fainter, giving place to 

 night, still and dark, broken only by the screech of an 

 occasional steamer and the regular thud of the engines. 

 The stars are now peering down upon the murky black- 

 ness of the river ; the sea-breeze freshens, and I retire 

 below, soon to be lulled to sleep by the gentle rolling of 

 the vessel and the regular " swish " of the waves against 

 her sides. 



The next morning I was on deck soon after daybreak, 

 the weather being fine, but rather hazy, and the sea just 

 a trifle " choppy." We were passing through the Irish 

 Sea the greater part of the day, but although I was 

 on deck until night I observed hardly any birds ; there 

 being but a few gannets and a small number of the 

 curious Manx shearwaters, while once a lesser black- 

 backed gull passed us. 



We arrived at Queenstown in the small hours of the 

 morning, leaving again before daybreak, and until about 

 mid-day the south-west coast of Ireland was in view at 

 no great distance. The coast here was one continuous 

 line of undulating hills with precipitous cliffs, without a 

 tree visible, but clothed everywhere in a vegetable 

 carpet of beautiful and varied hues, while here and 

 there tall rugged rocks rose sheer up from the glassy 

 surface of the ocean, and in the dips of the coast a few 

 cabins could be perceived, appearing like tiny white 

 specks on the hillsides. The weather all day was fine 

 and bright and the pure sea air peculiarly exhilarating. 



I did not notice many birds, there being but a few 

 gannets, or solan geese, shearwaters and guillemots, 

 with one or two of the small black petrels. In the 

 afternoon, however, when we had fairly lost sight of 

 land, a small bird flew over the vessel and seemed 

 about to settle, but then darted away. It appeared to 

 be some species of Anthus or pipit. 



After leaving the Irish coast things changed for the 

 worse, and for the next six or seven days we were 



