158 WITH EARTH AND SKY 
never seen so persistently anywhere else is always 
in evidence here, that is, that however cloudless 
the Great Lake sky may be, though not a wisp 
of cloud hangs its veil anywhere, yet when I turn 
my eyes inland up this river I have never once 
known the clouds to be absent. They lie there 
like great fleets with sails apparent but not 
touched by any seawind, or sometimes they lie 
like a quiet sea islanded with innumerable ice- 
bergs. I love the sight. It is filled with a haunt- 
ing suggestion I cannot explain. It tells of an- 
other landscape where abounding quiet holds 
lasting Indian summertime. We were rowing 
upward into this land of dreams with the fleets 
of cloud; and flocks of icebergs like huge sea 
gulls lie to the forward. So with the music of 
dipping oar and the music of the voices of my 
beloveds, rebuking the gondolier or encouraging 
him, upward we go where the clouds always 
gather and the fleets are never broken by a storm. 
Over us as I ply the oar, high-up clouds begin 
to scatter, chased by the wind, and later the 
wind touches the repose of the stream and blows 
fresh and wistfully; and at the landing where 
we shall picnic the wind gives us welcome, and 
the boat brought to land and the cargo discharged, 
we leave the folded oars to rest on the bosom 
of the resting boat and make our happy way 
to a deep and blessed shadow of some brawny 
beeches which hold eternal friendship on a hill 
which gives wide view of the windings of the 
