The First Blow

           IwassopleasedathavinggiventhesliptoLongJohnthatIbegantoenjoymyselfandlookaroundmewithsomeinterestonthestrangelandthatIwasin.

           Ihadcrossedamarshytractfullofwillows,bulrushes,andodd,outlandish,swampytrees;andIhadnowcomeoutupontheskirtsofanopenpieceofundulating,sandycountry,aboutamilelong,dottedwithafewpinesandagreatnumberofcontortedtrees,notunliketheoakingrowth,butpaleinthefoliage,likewillows.Onthefarsideoftheopenstoodoneofthehills,withtwoquaint,craggypeaksshiningvividlyinthesun.

           Inowfeltforthefirsttimethejoyofexploration.Theislewasuninhabited;myshipmatesIhadleftbehind,andnothinglivedinfrontofmebutdumbbrutesandfowls.Iturnedhitherandthitheramongthetrees.Hereandtherewerefloweringplants,unknowntome;hereandthereIsawsnakes,andoneraisedhisheadfromaledgeofrockandhissedatmewithanoisenotunlikethespinningofatop.LittledidIsupposethathewasadeadlyenemyandthatthenoisewasthefamousrattle.

           ThenIcametoalongthicketoftheseoakliketrees—live,orevergreen,oaks,Iheardafterwardstheyshouldbecalled—whichgrewlowalongthesandlikebrambles,theboughscuriouslytwisted,thefoliagecompact,likethatch.Thethicketstretcheddownfromthetopofoneofthesandyknolls,spreadingandgrowingtallerasitwent,untilitreachedthemarginofthebroad,reedyfen,throughwhichthenearestofthelittleriverssoakeditswayintotheanchorage.Themarshwassteaminginthestrongsun,andtheoutlineoftheSpy-glasstrembledthroughthehaze.

           Allatoncetherebegantogoasortofbustleamongthebulrushes;awildduckflewupwithaquack,anotherfollowed,andsoonoverthewholesurfaceofthemarshagreatcloudofbirdshungscreamingandcirclingintheair.