The little islands of the fishing station, lying under dark winter skies, were scattered like swimming birds on the surface of the sea, surrounded by driving snow and the grey, rolling ocean. Out of the little buildings among the rocks, smoke curled up. And from the narrow channels between the islets rose a growing sound of boats. In the twilight one boat after the other returned from the banks with their fish. They unloaded their catch on the rocks, or landed at some quay in order to sell. New boats came in from the high sea, their rigging heavy with ice, with a crowd of gulls and divers in the air above them, fighting against the wind.

When the newcomers were near enough for their crews to be seen, the men looked like fantastic supernatural beings, for the spray from the waves and the snow from the air had frozen on their oilskins, their eyebrows and beards.

Q. Underline an example of figurative language in the selection.