*Running* is a sailing term (remember Eliot was a sailor) that means sailing with the wind blowing from the stern to the bow. I thus read the passage somewhat as follows: Gull [flying] against the wind, in the windy straits of Belle Isle, or [the gull flying with the wind] [on/at] the Horn, If this doesn't answer the question you asked please reply. I'm off to other things right now. Also note the Damyata section of TWL where there is a bit of ambiguity with the word *beating*. "Beating heart" is somewhat obvious but *beating* is another sailing term (and Eliot writes of a boat, responding, and controlling hands.) Beating is sailing against the wind where, with proper control of the boat, the sailor zig-zags at angles to the wind to progress againt it. Regards, Rick Parker >> >> Is it the same gull at Belle Isle as at the Horn (as I imagine)? I >> picture >> the same gull because then we have a creature that knows when to fight >> and >> when to go with the flow. >> > > > I think I understand about fighting and flowing, but I'm not sure. Are > you > suggesting that the lines be read not with the wind as the subject of > "running" --- not as: > > > > Gull against the wind, > > (1) [blowing] in the windy straits > > (2) or running on the Horn > > > > --- but rather with "Gull" as the subject of "running": > > > > Gull > > (3) [fighting] against the wind, in the windy straits / Of Belle Isle > > (4) or running on [flowing with] the Horn > > > > I'm offering the possibility of (2) without knowing what it would mean for > a > wind to be "running on." But I'm also unsure about whether in (4), a gull > "running on" would mean that it's "going with the flow." > > Terry >