H /IDarsb=Ianb 1Fnci^ent 



the other, to read awhile, as is my way. 

 " Got Ascham out of my pocket," runs 

 the note, " and read him for an hour — the 

 stilted old scamp ! In my opinion, he was 

 but a book-archer, shooting poorly even 

 with his pen ; yet somehow he managed 

 to get into the current of eternity, and 

 here he is." Yes, sure enough; there he 

 was, archaic spelling and all, telling me how 

 to " shote." 



But, curiously enough, neither Ascham 

 nor the magnificent ibis, neither the fine 

 shooting at herons, a little later, nor the 

 exhilarating walk back to the boat against 

 a freshening breeze, could affect me as had 

 the little egret when it flattened itself on 

 the ground in deadly fear of the downward- 

 swooping hawk. 



i6i 



