346 



The Albatross 



dusk fell, the stars peeped out, and only a few white 

 gleams in the gloom around me showed where restless 

 birds were still unable to settle down. Presently, 

 in obedience to a compelling need, I tucked my head 

 into the cosy underside of my wing and forgot my 

 new trouble and loneliness in a sound sleep. 



Morning broke in storm, and with heavy driving 

 snow blotting out all sight of the surrounding land 

 and sea. I huddled closer down upon the sand, 

 shivering in spite of my warm garment, and missed 

 my mother. I was very hungry, and that fierce 

 sensation was driving me forth to seek food. But 

 when even the old birds were loth to leave their nests 

 what could a fledgeling hope to do ? Oh, how I longed 

 for the strong tender guide and careful provider that 

 I had lost ! Never again was I to know her, and 

 presently, hardly knowing what I did, I gathered all 

 my forces and rushed down to the sea. A huge breaker 

 caught me, hurled me high on its crest in a smother 

 of blinding spray, from which I took off into the snow- 

 laden air, stretching my wings with a sense of power 

 that was exhilarating and uttering a long shrdl cry 

 bom of hunger, anger, and defiance. 



So I soared aloft and at right angles to the wind, 

 using it in that mysterious unexplainable way tliat 

 we have to speed me forward, but whither I did not 

 know, could not recognise the sense of direction I 

 possessed, yet I knew I was going right. And presently 

 a delicious scent, the strong odour of a decapng whale, 

 greeted me, and, with a prompt lowering of my pinions 

 and extension of my feet, I went down, down into 

 the midst of a great company of my kind engaged 

 in a mighty banquet. It was a stupendous scene, 

 for it seemed as if it were a gathering of all the tribes 

 of air and sea. The storm thundered, the birds 



