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Hearing this, the night watchmen would ask in dread whence came

such disorder in the winged kingdom, and what storm had driven

forth these birds so early.

And now new swarms, like flocks of finches, plover, and

starlings, swarms of bright plumes and pennons shone bright upon

the hills and came down into the meadows. It was cavalry! In

strange array, and arms never seen before, came regiment after

regiment; and straight across the country, like melted snows, the

iron-shod ranks flowed along the roads. From the forests emerged

black shakos, a row of bayonets glittered, and the infantry,

countless as ants, swarmed forth.

All were turned towards the north; you would have said that at

that time, coming from the Sunny South180 and following the

birds, men too were entering our land, driven on by the force of

some instinct that they could not comprehend.