The passengers paced the deck to and fro, while they amused themselves with whatever object caught their eye, ear, or fancy; the operations of the crew, the passing sail, the darkening cloud, the sea-fowl retiring to rest, or the slow and hollow murmurs of the receding wave as it foamed, while it retreated, from the adjoining sands of the winding Dee.
At this time the passengers became highly and deeply interested by seeing, or imagining that they saw, human beings upon one of the distant sand-banks, whom the returning tide inevitably would destroy. The telescope was put in requisition, and this only confirmed their fears; for in the days we mention, no Dollond, no Ramsden, was in existence; of course the lenses were dim and defective, and objects, instead of being duly reflected, were misrepresented to the eye. From the repeated remonstrances and apprehensions of the passengers the jolly-boat was lowered into the water, the boatmen briskly plyed the oar, and soon reached Dee's yellow sands. When lo! those whom they had come to rescue, as they imagined, from a watery grave, suddenly took wing, and flew away![22] Yes, gentle reader, too true it is; for the objects which had attracted the attention and the sympathy of the passengers were no more nor less than a large company of cormorants,[23] who somewhat hungry no doubt, had been busily fishing for their supper, and were at the moment they were disturbed by the approach of the boat, in the very overt act of despatching their meal upon the banks of the Dee, who thus suddenly took flight, croaking in hoarse, hollow, and discordant shrieks, their disappointment at being interrupted from their evening banquet; for these stern, sullen, and circumspect plunderers, are most greedy and insatiate gluttons. The great Milton, in his immortal poem, finishes the sketch of this unrelenting tyrant, by causing Satan to personate the corvorant,[24] while envying the happiness of our first parents, as undelighted he surveyed the beauties of Paradise.
"Thence up he flew, and on the tree of life, The middle tree, and highest there that grew, Sat like a cormorant; yet not true life Thereby regain'd, but sat devising death To them who lived."[25]