THE FALLS<br > hundred yards<br > rning trees and downstream the noise of the falls??? muffled by inter-<br > undergrowth in the crook of the bend??? was reduced to a<br > uiet murmur of pouring<br > ~usthan any other--than water??? a natural sound more smoothly continu-<br > wind??? insects or even night frogs in the marshes.<br > winter it might increase to the heavy roar of spate: in summer drought???<br > iamsinish to a mere splashing among fern at lip and weed at base. It never<br > ed.<br > l_~_eBel0w the bend the river ran strongly under the further bank??? where its<br > en bed of stones??? gravel and sunken logs made the surface ripple and<br > ulate??? so that the tilted planes glittered in the late afternoon sun.<br > ~der the overgrown??? nearer bank it was deeper and stiller??? dully reflecting<br > and trees. All about??? on either side??? masses of plants were in vivid<br > m; some forming wide beds in the shallowS??? others lining the banks<br > -high or trailing from the<br > I~ish.white. trees in festoons ;of saffron??? crimson and <br > x<br > hum Their honey-sweet or citrous scents filled the air??? as did<br > t flight.~finsects hovering and gliding??? hunting prey or themselves darting<br > Here and there a fish rose??? gulped down a floating fly and<br > nea??? leaving widening circles that died away on the surface.<br > i :/Taller than the rushes and swamp-grass filling a marshy inlet on the<br > ~er bank??? a keriot--the green??? frog-hunting heron of the T<br > ~ ???e-~-s. tood motmnless??? watchin???- a._ ~ ??? _ onildan<br > ~ s t??????c few t??? .<br > ~llllld It with alert??? vorac??? ous eyes. Fro????????? ???;--7et o.f slow moving water<br > ???1c to time it would bend its<br > ??? neck and stab??? gobbling quickly before re \" ~<br > ~t.length??? as the sun??? declining??? di???._ea t is.ummg *ts still posture.<br >frog their sh~A v~???u behind the tops of the trees???<br >Dy0nd the **~ across the river??? the keriot became restless. Wary<br >Dby such common run of wild creatures??? it was alerted and made<br > slight intrusions as the change of light??? the movement of<br > _! and the breeze now sprung up among the creepers. Having taken<br >~stless steps this<br > e. air and flew way and that through the plumed reeds??? it rose<br >D~wings. Flying upstream??? its long legs trailing behind the slow beat<br > directly<br >~nlit fails??? up the line of the river??? it was making for the<br >~.e big bird was high enough above the river to see??? over the lip of the<br > e lake beyond lying calm in the sun??? its blue expanse contrasting<br > e tumult and white water of the twenty-foot-high outfall. There<br > fact two falls??? each about fifteen yards wide??? separated by a little???<br > and bordered??? at this time of year??? with forget-me-not and golden<br > ilies??? some nodding and dipping upon the very edge??? as though<br > down into the welter below.<br > keriot had circled twice and was just about to glide down to the<br ><br >