His salt breath brings a blessing along with it . Now let us pace together -- the reader 's fancy arm in arm with mine -- this noble beach , which extends a mile or more from that craggy promontory to yonder rampart of broken rocks . In front , the sea ; in the rear , a precipitous bank the grassy verge of which is breaking away year after year , and flings down its tufts of verdure upon the barrenness below . The beach itself is a broad space of sand , brown and sparkling , with hardly any pebbles intermixed . Near the water 's edge there is a wet margin which glistens brightly in the sunshine and reflects objects like a mirror , and as we tread along the glistening border a dry spot flashes around each footstep , but grows moist again as we lift our feet . In some spots the sand receives a complete impression of the sole , square toe and all ; elsewhere it is of such marble firmness that we must stamp heavily to leave a print even of the iron-shod heel . Along the whole of this extensive beach gambols the surf-wave . Now it makes a feint of dashing onward in a fury , yet dies away with a meek murmur and does but kiss the strand ; now , after many such abortive efforts , it rears itself up in an unbroken line , heightening as it advances , without a speck of foam on its green crest . With how fierce a roar it flings itself forward and rushes far up the beach ! As I threw my eyes along the edge of the surf I remember that I was startled , as Robinson Crusoe might have been , by the sense that human life was within the magic circle of my solitude . Afar off in the remote distance of the beach , appearing like sea-nymphs , or some airier things such as might tread upon the feathery spray , was a group of girls . Hardly had I beheld them , when they passed into the shadow of the rocks and vanished . To comfort myself -- for truly I would fain have gazed a while longer -- I made acquaintance with a flock of beach-birds . These little citizens of the sea and air preceded me by about a stone 's - throw along the strand , seeking , I suppose , for food upon its margin . Yet , with a philosophy which mankind would do well to imitate , they drew a continual pleasure from their toil for a subsistence . The sea was each little bird 's great playmate . They chased it downward as it swept back , and again ran up swiftly before the impending wave , which sometimes overtook them and bore them off their feet . But they floated as lightly as one of their own feathers on the breaking crest . In their airy flutterings they seemed to rest on the evanescent spray . Their images -- long-legged little figures with gray backs and snowy bosoms -- were seen as distinctly as the realities in the mirror of the glistening strand .
As I advanced they flew a score or two of yards , and , again alighting , recommenced their dalliance with the XXXXX ; and thus they bore me company along the beach , the types of pleasant fantasies , till at its extremity they took wing over the ocean and were gone .
Crusoe barrenness beach-birds flings flutterings promontory sea-nymphs surf-wave verdure year