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1
The
Daughters of King Daher, and Other Poems.
The
DAUGHTERS OF KING DAHER. A Story
of the
Mohammedan
Inv...
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W^^
1
The
Daughters of King Daher, and Other Poems.
The
DAUGHTERS OF KING DAHER. A Story
of the
Mohammedan
Invajion
of Scinde.
BY THOMAS HOOD.
L ondon
:
SAUNDERS, OTLEY, AND CO., 66, BROOK STREET, HANOVER SQUARE, W. 1861.
F
Shoberl, Printer, 37,
Dean
Street, Sobo.
700 H-T7 QCLMs
IVbl
TO
MRS.
MY
HALL.
C.
S.
DEAR MRS. HALL, If you will not allow that a recolledtion of your
friendfhip, dated as far fufficient I
back
reafon for
muft afk you
to
my let me
can remember,
as I
infcribing this
do
fo,
book
is
a
to you,
on the ground that
in
January, 1853 vou i n fe f ted in Sharpens Magazine the firft
poem of mine which
thus introduced
been
fo
me
ever appeared in print
to the public
who
and
have ever fmce
kindly difpofed to me.
Believe me,
My
dear Mrs. Hall,
Yours very
truly,
TOM
928
HOOD.
Preftace. The Jlory upon which the following poem
I
papers
to
which I have had no caufe
At
period.
this diftance
of time I
to
am
from what fource I obtained them^ but I
down
the plot
ftruck with
from a
its
founded
of brief memoranda among
the Jhape
difcovered in
is
note in
adaptability
to
an
refer for
unable
feme
to
fay
believe
I jotted
old review
being
verfe. to
a
metrical chronicle or the writings of a native poet^ but
I
It
is
pojffible
that the note in queftion related
have not met with either
;
attempted before in Englijh
The minor poems at mijjion
from
millan's
nor has the fubjeft ever been to
my
knowledge.
the end are republijhed by per-
the St. James' s^ the Cornhill^
and Mac-
Magazines.
THOMAS HOOD.
Brompton^ September , 1861.
Contents.
THE DAUGHTERS
OF
Praecentoria
The
Story.
Termanatus
KING DAHER. .
.
xi
.
.
.
.
i
.
.
.
-53
.
57
MINOR POEMS.
The Song
Home
A
at
of the Lark in the City
Laft
Shell
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.61 .65
Lines on the Death of Catherine (Hayes) Bufhnell
To
Goldenhair
The
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Loft Expedition
Spring
.
.
-74 -77 79
.81
Prcecentoria. fome chance
S
traveller,
journeying through
the wilds
Of ancient
lands
whofe exploits
page
Of bygone
now
hiftory
defolate
And
haunted by the bittern in the day,
And
nightly by the owl and flitting wolf,
Finds a rare jewel lying
Mayhap
Of Antony's Of Caefar's
in the
burning breath
love-whifpers
ring
That looped
or the ftone
the brilliant in the pin
the cloak of Alcibiades,
taught the ftole of Lais
The
:
the drop that trembled at the ear
Of Cleopatra
Or
in the grafs
how
to
fhow
gleaming ankle and the {lender
foot.
fill
the
Pr
xii
Or down Still
It
the glimmering arcades of
Time
farther back, within the Pharaoh's
might have gleamed
What
time
me
;
crown
or in his daughter's hair,
found the
little ofier
boat
Among the reeds or in the ftately creft Of fome proud king, whom ancient Kifhon ;
Adown
its fullied
waters to the
wondering of what
So mufing
The
coftly relic tells
And
faves
it
fea.
diftant age
the traveller ftoops
from oblivion, mounting
it
In modern
fetting, fuited to his purfe,
Not
worth of the recovered gem.
to the
Thus
I,
Of the Set
it
who
lit
upon
rolled
this
legend rare
old Khalifate and Hinduftan,
to
numbers of mine own. Perchance
Utter forgetfulnefs had fwallowed
But
for the daring
Though
of
my
verfe,
feebly, to preferve
it.
it
which
ftrives,
So, good hap,
Pr<ecentoria.
The
treafure
Than mine Has
may
defcend to better hands
Yet my
hereafter.
fpent itfelf
upon
Lefs worthy than
xiii
it,
'tis
being
beft of
fkill
willing.
Thus
An
antique
tale rehearfed in
Whate'er the blame Is of the
gem.
I
fkill
meet,
1
fing
modern modes.
my own
That fimple fame
is
th,e praife
mine
In chancing on this legend
little
Which
whofe random
to the peafant falls,
known,
Turning
the ridges in the fallow, frees
From
dark dungeon of
An
its
ancient torque
fo
many
(hare,
years
twined of barbaric gold.
The
Daughters of King Daher.
WEET fwam the founds of night the whole night through
About
That clothed
The
the tamarifks and
the fcented vales and Hopes of Scinde.
drowfy churr of infers, and the note
Monotonous of that dark
Among In
bird,
the darkling ftems
foreft mifts,
The
plumed palms,
till
made midnight
filver ftreamlets
which
flits
daylight,
drowned
mufical.
of the moonlight ran
Between the fliadows on the ground, and In
little
glimmering breaks among the
ftole
grafs.
The Daughters
2
Pale the gold roofs of Oomerkote, and pale Its filent ftreets in that
Around
wan
flood of light.
the walls the wakeful fentinels
In armour, ftudded with cold drops of dew,
Paced through the weary hours, and woke the night
With
A
wave of found
Broke
As
the long note of watch-cries, chanted round that
on the
liftening ear
died into the diftance
in its circle
The word was
grew again
:
on from tower to tower fhouted to each lonely guard.
Beneath the city
in a hollow,
wafhed
By yellow Indus fweeping
to the fea,
And gemmed but late with
flowers, that
now were trod,
Lavifhly fhedding perfume, into mire, Slept the white tents of the invader's camp. Stilly as ftatues flood
The Arab
:
beyond the
lines
outpofts, each with long lithe lance
Striking a black unwavering line of (hade
That pointed toward
the city.
Still
as
Death,
of King Daher.
Slumber
its
herald to
About the army
;
fave
3
how many hung when reftlefs fteeds !
men
Rattled their halter chains, or dreaming
Struggled in fight forefhadowed.
Oomerkote
!
Oh Oueen
of Scinde, to-morrow's fun beholds
Thy
a ftrife plains the fcene of fuch
As
happy
leaves thee ever free
Down
or ever fallen
and trampled 'neath the Moflem's heel.
down
But come what might with day, the night was calm, Smiling as
Whofe
Ocean
rending fangs await the haplefs barks
Gliding acrofs the
Anon
fmiles o'er cruel rocks,
the
moon
Paled flowly
foft,
fmooth fwell to wreck.
'mid drifted
ifles
dropt from fight.
of cloud
The
fun unfeen
Yet fmote
the topmoft peaks to ruby tints,
And
the quivering air with fhafts of gold.
filled
From
crag to crag the
Day
with rofy feet B 2
Daughters Leaped down
into the valley
Weaving long woofs of light
Then woke
The hum
the
ftir
through the trees acrofs the gloom.
of arms, the neigh of fteeds,
of bufy grooms
;
and (lumber died
With
the faint wreaths of fmoke that floated off
From
the extinguiflied watchfires, fhredded foon
To
tiny flocks of mift
Of interlacing The
among
foreft-trees
the boughs
which ringed
rearward of the camp.
From
The Slid
ftandard of the Prophet raifed aloft like the
Where
And threw
in
fome
flant rays
to prayer
level
coming blood.
reached the fparkling fward
long fhadows weftward
To prayer
As
ftrong-winged vulture hovering
his ftrange inftincT: fcents the
But when the
u
point to point
rofe the cry
good Muflulmans to prayer !"
and flow-watered mire
Befide a black and tardy-dimpled dyke,
of King Daher.
A
wild guft fwooping
downward from
a cloud
Spreads o'er a whitening ofier-bed, and bows
The
fupple ftems
acrofs the
The
call to prayer,
and bent
And
while the
Moflem
And
turned to
Mecca and Mohammed's tomb,
Swift were the gates of
ftill
And
Oomerkote unbarred,
fandal, bofled
the vale beneath
Like that which
Of fome
When
fwift
all
fills
with
majeftic doors filver nails
Amid
a dufky flood
and
overfills the courfe
mountain-ftream in winter-time,
the peaks are mantled in a mift,
laming rain-fpouts
Dimming
And
called,
loofed the torrent of the troops of Scinde
Upon
And
heads to duft.
on Allah
Back fwang the valves of the
Of fcented
army fwept
all
flant acrofs the fky,
the pale horizon with black bars.
the flaming tide of toiling arms,
fluttering flags,
and lances tremulous
The Daughters
6
As
brook-fide reeds with the impetuous hafte
Of thofe who Swayed
like
Of fome
caftled beafts
flood
crofs the bar.
plain, the fwarthy cavalry
Beat a rude rhythm on the trampled
And
of war
huge galleons when upon the
wide arm of fea they
on the
Firft
bore them
flirilled their
turf.
trumpets.
High King Daher rode
Upon Its
his mail-cafed elephant that
armour-plates at
clanged
every fwinging
ftride.
So down the Hindu on the Moflem drave.
Then
rofe
and roared the din of battle, rolled
Far up among the echoes of the Reverberant, that
The
To
woke
tiger in his lair
think
it
the wolf, and roufed
who
crouched and whined
diftant thunder.
At
The rum
hills
the
firft
of Indian warriors, fierce and ftrong,
Bare down the hofts of Iflam
till
their line
of King Daber.
Wavered, and giving backward, Bulged juft to breaking.
The
He
So
in the midft
This when Kafim faw
General of Khalif Waled's force
fpurred his fiery
And
7
Arab
to the point,
hurled himfelf and his true body guard
fiercely into battle that the foe,
own
Weakened by
his
Was
firft
And
flayed at
loofe advance,
then ftopt
was checked
then turned to rout,
driven backward on the morning's lines.
So have you feen the long Atlantic wave Againft a Fling
its
cliff,
upright, deep-rooted,
tall,
white force in thunder, mounting up
Swift toward the creft, then, failing, backward
fall
In mift and driving foam-flakes to the bafe.
Not
long delayed the
The
yielded vantage, and with
Moflem
to regain
Hindu blood
Purpled each ftep of the recovered ground.
Hufhed were the
And
hifling rain
fhouts.
The clam
alone of arms,
of arrows, mixed with groans,
The Daughters
8
Reached now the
ears of liftening
Oomerkote
For teeth were clenched and blows
And
cry for quarter none.
Was
fiercely battled for,
As though So
all
The
foot of
foil
life for life,
were the Empire of the Eaft.
hot fun climbed, until his downward wheel to the weft ward, doubtful warfare raged.
Foremoft
in danger, bold
King Daher
ftrave
turn the wavering fortune of the fray.
Where'er the
Or
with
in filence dealt.
day long, while up the fteep of Heaven
Glowed
To
it
Each
:
foe
upon
prefled his legions
Rang
And
like a clarion.
his ranks
backward
Then
brake in there his voice
the coward turned
faced the foe again, and valiant
Vied with the king
in onfet.
But
" Daher
is
men
a cry
flaughtered !" ran along the line
That wavered
as
it
heard
as
you may note
of King Daher.
By
nodding grafles where a noifome fnake
Slides
from
For, lo
his
a crafty arrow fmote the king
!
Between the
And
funny bafking-place to hide.
and the hood of mail
corfelet
buried in his throat
Then from
its
venomed
his beaft in death-throes
Headlong among the fighting-men
Unknown Which
and trampled in the panic
followed on his
upon
his face
then they
The whole
there were
vaft
until they
begin to grow
knew him dead
Mafs upon mafs
Now
flight
gathered round the king and bare him back,
fmile
And
fell
and lay
Yet fome
Hoping where hope was none
A
Daher
found, forgetful of themfelves,
Still faithful
Who
fall.
barb.
:
faw
;
and looking found
army, which the morn beheld roll
down from Oomerkote,
driving fcattered o'er the fhameful field
Like the
laft
That
acrofs the heavens along the track
fly
Of fome
clouds
ragged and ruddy-ftained
o'er-fpent and broken
fummer
ftorm.
The Daughters
io
Then
haftily
they fcooped a fhallow grave
Within the trampled oozy ground, and
The
and
kingly corfe
A wounded Moflem Who faw the deed
fled.
But there was one,
lying by the road.
and when young Kafim patted
;
The
dying foldier caught his ftirrup
The
General to
Where
The
Was
hid
halt,
called
and fhowed the place
the retreating Hindus had beftowed
corfe of
ftayed
And Kafim And knew
one they honoured. the hafty grave
The
was oped
purfuit in hafte
looked upon the dead man's face,
the clay that once had been a king.
Meanwhile the
fun, a fiery fhield,
was quenched
In ruflet mifts along the horizon's edge.
Above
his lingering gold a fingle ftar
Stood fudden forth
Of dying
;
penitent
like
pardon o'er the couch
companioned foon,
As
darknefs deepened
By
brother lamps, flow growing into fight.
all
the vault of blue,
of King Daher. All night in
Oomerkote
The Moflem
fentry
Where
men
dying
Heard the
Through
"
battle field.
groaned to the fhivering gale,
and fank
It rofe
This they fang
night doubly lonely.
And Ocean
wailed.
the long hours of the weary watch
Oh, Indus
The
on the
women
fad fong they fang.
all
And made
the
1
Tell the Sea to which you flow
!
to the holy
Ganges
is
dead
is
tell
Moan
burden of our forrow.
Daher the king
dead
!
is
moan
moan
!
dead
!
cadence floated o'er the
And
among the gorges in the hills, echoes murmured back " is dead is dead
"
!
"
The
Till
:
river's breaft
fighed
Oh, Indus
Bear down
!
By your banks he
his corfe to
Ocean.
His corfe to holy Ganges.
Daher the king
is
dead
is
alone
Ocean
Moan dead
lies
!
is
!"
bear
moan
!
dead !"
moan
!
1
The Daughters
2
The
river flowed
unheeding on
But fpe&ral voices
its
high in the
Sobbed back the mournful dirge
"
Oh, Indus
way,
hollow
"
hills
dead
is
is
dead !"
King and crown and kingdom
!
fail
:
Fair Scindia, envied to the fartheft chain
Of white-peaked moan
paffionate
The
Moan! moan!
ceafes.
!
Daher the king
On
mountains
is
dead
is
dead
dead !"
is
wings of forrow wafted
dirge lamented
till
the fnowy heights
Soft whifpered, each to each
Not
thus the
Not
thus the daughters of
Queen
far
" is dead
the beautiful
That he would come with
dead !"
Ladhee
King Daher
But hoping where no hope was,
is
ftill
wailed,
believed
day.
With day he came Borne on a car before the invading
hoft,
!
of King Daher. His crownlefs head funk on His ftrong hands
Then from
A
thrill
The
as
among
his lifelefs breaft,
hollowed in
the hearts of
Arofe a groan Is voiced
idly
when
all in
a
his lap.
Oomerkote
coming ftorm
the foreft patriarchs,
of horror rufhing through the wood.
maidens wrung their hands
mame among
Wept
without
Shook
their white heads at a
"
13
When
that the
the
the warriors ftern
Old men
girls.
remembered rhyme
King of Scinde,"
it
" was
faid,
feen
Leading the enemy to Oomerkote,
The crown
of
cities
But while the cry
A
fhould be
ftill
forth
" !
air,
"I come
I
come
with the found of wings a filken robe
Fluttered a
And
indeed
fhuddered on the
woman's voice fhrieked
And
loft
moment
o'er the battlements,
then the wind fang in
As down
it
And where
gleamed is
its
flapping folds
moat beneath.
into the
Daher's Queen
the proud
Ladhee
?
!"
The Daughters
14
A
crufhed corfe caft like worthlefs ocean-waif
Among Then
the rank growths at the turret's foot.
all
Oomerkote fank down
the hearts in
And
e'en the brave in battle
The
counfels of the
coward
quailedand
thus
did prevail.
Before the noon young Kafim and his troops Faffed into
With
fear
Oomerkote, and and tumult.
filled
In the
her ftreets
city's heart,
CofFer'd within the central palace-walls
Like coftly gems, the fpoiling troopers found
Two
maids, the
Of beauty
laft
of Daher's haplefs race,
worthy children of a king.
" The General's prize
The
fhrinking virgins to
Hoping
The
!" they cried.
young Kafim's
a guerdon for the
firft
was Fragrant
That wooed each
And fwift they bare
welcome
called.
tent,
gift.
Sweet
lips
were hers
other, lacking others' love.
of King Daber.
The
fecond was the Sun
within whofe eyes,
As
in the opal, lurked a
To
wither and confume the thralled
Oh
what was Kafim's bofom,
Should
Was
fail
to
fill it
tongue of
And
women
Own
foul.
with the flame of love
cherifhed image
all fair
fire
that thofe forms
there fome maiden in his
Whofe
i
elfe
own
dear land,
came between
Or
?
but Ambition miftrefs
?
his eyes
did his heart
?
He was young Stately
The
beyond
his years, a prince
tender prifoners looked on
That
loft in
admiration
of men.
him with awe
all its fear.
But vain coy looks beneath long lames (hot
Nor
love nor pity
woke
they.
Who
Stood
filent,
What
cruel vengeance will not
For beauty
half in anger.
flighted
Of approbation
?
e'en
So the
may
!
girls tell
woman wreak
where harm would
fpring
1
The Daughters
6
Slowly Kafim fpake,
And
To
chofe the truftieft of his trufty band
execute the miffion.
"
Take," he
faid,
" Thefe maids
to
How
no more, and Oomerkote
Daher
is
Baghdad, to
Barracks the troops of Iflam.
my
Mark
Thefe damfels are the KhaliFs
To
treat
them
In
Hold them moft Khalif
act,
tell
you, too
!
have a care
reverently, and give to
All liberties fave one.
The
Lord, and
them
word, thought,
facred prizes for our Lord,
Waled
whom may
So they departed with
Allah guard !"
their charge.
But he
Preft on thro' Scinde his conqu'ring hordes and bare
The
ftandard of the Prophet
Through
all
onward
that province broad,
ftill
which
lay
The
fwift
And
Victory followed where young Kafim
between
Hydafpes and the Indian Sea. led.
of King Daher.
was
1
great feftival in Baghdad.
High, Spire after fpire into the heart of night,
Her minarets were
And
Tigris as
it
ftarred with
Lapping
Gleams
fpangles
at piles
bluely.
:
flowed beneath her walls
Mirrored a mimic heaven
Unnumbered
myriad lamps
and
flaming back
as the
piers,
autumn
fea,
with fparks of light
Creflets flared along the ftreets,
Trick'd out with boughs, and flowers, and waving fcarves.
The
tinkling zittern and the rippling harp,
Like found of rivulets mingling with the waves
Of fome
And feemed
The
the voices of the
wind
the
air,
that ftirred
chaplets and the banners and the flames
Of fcented
Of incenfe. "
made fweet
cape- flickered bay,
torches fhedding heavy fmoke
And
the thronging people cried,
Praife be to Allah
Who
has turned the hearts c
7
1
The Daughters
8
Of foemen
Who
from our faces
has given
Vi&orious progrefs to the Faithful.
To
And
Allah.
to
Praife
Kafim honours
great !"
The
fhouts of joy to Waled's cafement rofe,
And
pafled the golden lattice
Was
troubled for an inftant with a {hade,
The fhadow
of a fhade
as
and
when
Acrofs a funny landfcape, o'er the
Of waving
his
brow
afar fields
grain, fwiftly a fleck of blue,
Caft by a pafling cloud, wings like a bird
To
And Waled
He
ftept,
The
A
So
lofe itfelf in diftance. frniled, as
it
died,
through the curtained arch
and down the marble
flairs to
where
prifoner maids awaited his approach.
filvery fountain, plafhing in a fhell
Of marble, made Through
the
ftill
a found of
fummer mowers
corridors
and frequent lamps
Shed moonlight through
;
their alabafter globes,
While, here and there, among the orange
trees,
of King Daher.
19
In gilded cages mimic-noted birds
Sang fnatches from fweet
lays of various lands
Learnt from the Khalif 's favourites,
who came
From dufky India, fierce with fun-warm blood, From drowfed Circaflia, pale with amorous fleep,
And
every other clime where beauty glows.
In a fmall chamber, chofen
far aloof
By kindly forethought from the city's din, Which triumphed where they forrowed, fat Like cowering birds that
The hawk Within a But e'en
The
in the fky perceive
a movelefs fpeck unfeen of
man,
diftant corner clofe they crouched. their fears betrayed unftudied
charms
tiny foot,
crumpled rofebud, peeped from out her
Forgetful of
Her
;
Fragrant's fhoulder, from the fcarf efcaped,
Gleamed, pinkly-tinted, and her
A
the maids.
its flipper.
hair releafed
Like a gazelle
drefs
While the Sun,
upon her fhoulders, gazed,
in toils,
with luftrous eyes, C 2
20
The Daughters
That
juftified her
Were wound Beat
As when you
the fnaky ivies, where they
At mid-day
A
about each other, and their hearts
clofe in unifon.
Among
a green twilight,
neft of fledglings
As
Their liffome arms
name.
their fmall
home
far
peer
make
you difcern
away they creep
allows, and huddling bend
Their piteous eyes upon you So on the Khalif gazed the
:
filently
virgins, clafpt
So
In one another's arms and fpeechlefs.
The
curious Khalif o'er
Their
fun-kift beauty.
Their
veils
Brimmed he
them
At
they dropt.
leant and fcanned
his near
approach
But he by love inflamed and " Oh fweet
o'er with fmiles,
maids,"
faid,
" Fortune of War
has borne you here.
But, here,
You
mall find folace in Love's fortune, fuch
As
in
is
Waled's
This palace
Or
as
coftly that
Then
gift.
fear not
your own, with is
here
in
all
of
!
fair
Baghdad found
know
of King Daher.
The Abode That
Be
of Peace
fo the beauties
!
I
21
pray you
raife
your
veils,
of your eyes and cheeks
garlands to the mufic of your fpeech."
" Not
fo,
We pray you let us Said
" not
great Khalif," faid the Sun,
Waled.
" For
the fountain of your
my
And
do hunger to behold your face."
heart's thirft
Again they murmured,
Nay,"
lips
"
Pray you
let it
be."
But when they
felt his brow grow dark, the Sun " Good my Lord, we had been proud to lay
Said,
Our
little
Knowing
beauty at the Khalif's feet that our unworthinefs
In force of his acceptance
Unworthy ever
would
worth.
now unworthy
Is this
" To
find
Alas
!
moft,
We do but crave your leave to be "
\
but yet a want remains,
Cools I
"
thus be covered."
fo
concealed."
your country's cuftom," Waled cried,
hide ungathered bloflbms from the day
?
22
Or
The Daughters but the fancy of coy
With
accents fainter,
The brow Whofe Has
girls
Then
?"
" In my
But
uncovered wear.
thofe, unbleft,
purity or violence or fin
tarnifhed, hide the forehead.
Oh,
who
Does he
his
Khalif love
Whence
his
own lips have kifled
With As,
that
after
flic
air
not well
offers grapes.
the fragrant bloom I"
ended, with a found of tears.
fome long breath of wind
That woke
The
fhe,
land the maids
finks
down,
a fudden rufhing in the trees,
grows dufk, and,
filvery fweet, a
fhower
Sobs, child-like, 'mid the funfliine half-obfcured,
Smites the gray duft and from the thirfty earth
Sucks up an incenfe, of frefh moifture born,
Like odorous fmoke of grateful
"
How now ?"
Met
in a hafty
cried
Waled
,
facrifice.
and
his grizzled
frown, and fiery fparks
brows
of King Daher.
Gleamed dangerous
23
" What words
in his eyes
are
thefe ?"
A A
careful
hand had by the
filver difh piled
To
fillers
placed
high with lufcious
fruits
tempt the captives with the fragrance
Of pomegranates, And
ripe peaches,
downy
fine
pink,
mufky apples ftreaked with red and gold.
From
one juicy globe,
thefe the elder chofe
Whofe
mottled rind fliowed
fair
but deep within
The
garden pirate, the black-belted wafp,
Had "
fcooped a hollow to the very core.
See, dreaded Khalif, with
Your
And
flaves
do fervice
like
offer fruit corrupted
With an
When
what fpecious
worthlefs
enforced difhonour.
gifts
your Generals
;
bafe
Mighty Lord
!
Kafim comes, the conqueror of Scinde,
Prepare the purple robe, the ring of gold,
And
fling the
The
fignet
on
mantle o'er his fhoulders his
place
hand, and bid the fteed,
The Daughters
24
Whereon
Then
The
let
the Khalif rides, be brought for the heralds cry,
Khalif honours
!'
c
him
;
Behold the man
leading through the ftreets
Kafim, thus mounted, thus arrayed.
But add
A
farther
mark of
Let him within
The
favour.
King Daher
For we may be none
And took
from
his place
three hafty ftrides and fmote his hands.
mute obedient
Stood in the doorway.
He
for his flaves
other's elfe than his !"
rofe in anger
Swift at the fignal
Said
returned.
his palace waiting find
daughters of
Then Waled
Home
Waled.
" Bid me
They were gone
:
flaves Jaffier here !"
and to the maids
turned his pale face and his fiery eyes.
His white beard
Twitched Along
his
briftled
angrily,
and knotty mufcles rofe
arm, and
Ropes of blue
with his rage, his hands
in his forehead flood
veins.
of King Daher.
"
Speak clearly,"
His voice harfh-grating fuddenly,
What man
To
is this,
Then
" and
fo
he cried,
tell
whofe boldnefs has prefumed
give his fovereign
Sated, defired
25
what
no longer.
his
own
bafe foul,
Women,
fpeak !"
with one voice the maidens anfwered him,
And murmured " Kafim." Through
A
his breaft there
torrent, fierce, ungovernable, full
Of cruel
thoughts, and drown'd his wifer mind.
Then
in his heart
Why
did the babbling populace fo love
To
bear that
an ancient
name upon
" Kafim
did this
Of all
Baghdad"?
(So
"
in
great
full their praife)
Saving the one
And
glibly
As waited
evil
woke
their tongues,
Kafim
and cry
mightieft
fcarcely they referved
the Khalif
who
rules"
or they faid, a parrot-phrafe,
fpoken with fuch ready
lips
not the judgment of the mind.
So Waled from
his inner heart
awoke
rufhed
The Daughters
26
A
thoufand lulled Tufpicions and diftrufts,
That
Of
flept uneafily
beneath the guard
The
Friendftiip until then.
Acrofs his brow,
The
cries
when through
fhade,
which
pafled
the lattice-work
of victory fmote upon his ear
Burdened with Kafim's name, returned again,
And
darkly deepened to a folemn gloom,
That fpoke of coming anger
as at
noon
Gather the coppery clouds, and hanging low Spread o'er the landfcape lurid glimmerings,
Meanwhile the thunder
in the diftance growls,
And
round the ragged edges of the rack
The
livid lightning plays
The cumbrous And "
not enough," mufed Waled,
Is linked
pile,
down
"
the wind.
name
that his
with mine in honour, and the voice
Of Baghdad fends
on
vapours mount, with tempeft frored,
hoarfe the rain roars, beating
Is't
He
high, pile
me
lauds his generalfhip
that
now
thefe difhonoured Indian (laves
?
of King Daher.
27
They were his own to hold the prize of war, And had he borne them to his own Hareem
No
thought of mine had blamed him for the deed.
But now he wrongs me with
Where
Let Kafim tremble. Great
(hall
a ftudied
the
wrong
Gold-meathed and
With
The
warlike founds. trufted of the
Was
Jaffier.
Then Waled,
When
did he
rang
Captain of the Guard,
bow
the head
feeking his beheft.
with the
in his fpeech a
ground
KhaliPs followers,
Lowly
Before the Khalif
"Thus
yet he mufed
ivory-hilted, fmote the
ftep, until the palace
Moft
But
great
at his fide a fcymetar,
Jaffier
At every
is
!
the vengeance be !"
While
Came
mame
fire
within his eyes,
calm unnatural,
faid,
unto Kafim for the Khalif fpeak
to the
General comes
this fignet-ring
Let him give order that a noble
bull,
Deep-dewlapped, and wide-horned, be brought to him,
28
The Daughters
And
the beaft be flaughtered, and
let
Stript
from
Or
let
Kafim come.
clofely, to the Khalifate.
Let none delay
Low
Jaffier
hide
it.
In that hide
Wrapt
its
And, hark
!
to execute our will!"
bowed,
his face
unmoved with awe
wonder, and ftrode quickly from the
hall
His clamorous accoutrements proclaimed His hafte
For Kafim
As
In his heart was grief
in going.
friends
early playmates,
from childhood had they been, and as comrades
Since then in frequent battle.
Of Iflam
When
Their marchings their
Of duty, By
the troops
overran the plain of Scinde
Fain had bold Jaffier fhared their
Around
tried
fightings
toils
their fears
and the glory
brows triumphant.
But the
never drowned in Jaffier's breaft
pulfes of defire or greed, forbade
The
wifhed-for
toils
of warfare by the
fide
fried
call
of King Daher.
Of his
old
" Had
I
Had
ill
For he deemed
purpofe."
Sooner would Kafim from
his
duty fwerve,
the high juftice of the Khalif err.
Thus went he
Dimmed
its
forrowing, though never doubt
the allegiance that Jaffier held
To Waled From
Ah," he thought,
been there, perchance a word of mine
turned him from
Than
"
comrade Kafim.
29
and
own
his
forrow did not pluck
heart excufes of delay.
Ere yet the founds of boifterous
feftival
Had
died
The
flender lances of the
The
night's dark fliield of clouds along the range
away
Of eaftern
in
Baghdad's
morning pierced
mountains, wrapt in fhrouds of mow,
JafHer had reached El Bafrah.
He
ere yet
ftreets
On
the quay
flood, his dappled Barbary in a mift
Befide him panting.
By
He
the fignet's
fwayed the feamen to his will
;
power
and foon
The Daughters
30
A
long low galley toffed befide the
About
the
Its pointed
Above
bows
a ferpent coil'd,
head and fwelling fcaly throat
the water from a narrowing prow,
Knife-edged that clave the billow.
Twelve
And
pier.
and thruft
On
fturdy rowers poifed the fupple blades.
when
the foot of Jaffier dipped the boat
In hifling ripples to the gunwale
broke
The
mirrored fky to foam.
The
veflel darted forth.
The
eddies gurgled, and along the fides
Danced
Then
with a bound
Beneath the ftem
off in flaming bubbles, dimly
By gleams
Warmed
of azure
light.
overhead to rofe
The
golden ripples on the
Gold banners
in the fky
lit
grey of
morn
the thread of
Melted above the bank of clouds
Made
the thwarts
fea,
moon
and day
and hung
where clouds had been.
of King Daher.
HE
rout was ended.
halted, and to
Where now young Kafim
Oomerkote,
lodged his
forces, turned
Their
o'er-tired fteps.
In wearying victory.
Day after day had The Indian troops,
Gathered
in hafte for the
That
holds dear, before the veteran
life
Of the And
defence of
all
(hake the ground with quickly trampling feet
Huddling
they circle
Thus Kafim's van
ftays,
round him and prefent
threatening front, yet
Was
fkill
fheep before a watch-dog fcour,
But when from following the purfuer
A
pafled
invader, fcattered, as the flocks
Of timid
when he
acrofs the Indus
wearied with alternate
ftrife
turns
and
thefe poor patriots, vainly ftriving
To
drive the
their
retire.
thrown
By
Moflem from
1
Sated of purfuit
|
The Modems
3
foil.
flight ftill
The
foe,
:
The Daughters
32
Slow-moving, yet advanced
;
and foot by
foot,
Long-wreftling for poffeffion, took the land.
So ftands a
about whofe foot the waves
cliff
Hoarfe, clamorous,
And
all
the winters rave and rage,
buffeting the headland,
Upon the The gray
would encroach
confines of the coaft
and
rock ftands
Slow grows the land
tillage
!
at its folid bafe
flow finks the
Ocean dethroned gives up Refcues betimes to
in vain
its
fea.
prey, and man
what
it
yields.
And
long years after, from
The
green trees and the gleaming cottages
Cluttered about
its
its
At
home,
foot, the ancient
in-land,
cape
Acrofs the fmiling cornland looks to fea
Where
its
old foe, back-barrier'd, fullen roars.
So on the front of Kafim's vanguard trenched,
Wave
after
wave, the hopelefs force of Scinde
Defpairing broke
To
rally
and from the battle
on the morrow, and return
Once more
in iteration
of defeat.
fled,
length
of King Daber.
The His
rout
was ended
tired fteed
33
and young Kafim led
;
homeward.
Through
a long ravine,
Scattered with corpfes prone, whofe feet were turned
To
Oomerkote, he
Glared
raylefs in the
Where not
Welcome
way.
The
fun
wide expanfe of blue
a fleece of thinneft vapour hung.
to
Kafim's
Unfeen, betrayed
Upon
thrid his
ear, a thread
itfelf
with
of fpring,
trillings foft
a hollow ftone beneath the {hade
Of broad-leaved
plants, a curtain glofly green
Of red-flowered
creepers
Welcome
to
Kafim's ear
hung
in wild feftoon
as childifh voice,
And
pattering feet along the gravel walk,
And
the complaining of a tardy latch
Rebellious to fmall fingers
Of fome
to the heart
who
returns
After long wandering, doubtful what
may be
home-wifhful
His greeting
traveller,
at the gate.
The
fteed releafed
:
The Daughters
34
Cropt the luxuriant
The
bounteous overflowing of the ftream.
And Kafim
And
grafles that repaid
ftain
cooled his brow, and warned the duft
of battle from him.
By
his fide
His crimfon blade lay among crimfon flowers.
Upon the mofiy floor of that ftill nook The warrior flung him down. Through
arching
boughs Thick-interlaced, fome drops of funlight rained
And
flecked the fliadows, movelefs on the grafs
Save for a flickering where a
reftlefs bird,
Unfeen among the branches overhead,
Anon enhanced
The
troopers turning from the chafe beheld
Their
chieftain lying
Lowering
To But
A
the filence with a fong.
by the fount and
pafTed,
their lances in obeifance due,
feek for other fprings to flake their thirft. in the
jaws of the
defile
they met
mounted meflenger who rode
in hafte
of King Daher.
With marks of travel on
And
and beard.
his face
duft thick-lying in his mantle's folds.
" Where
And His
35
is
guide
the General
me
to
him
fteed, the while
The
Turn back
?
So
!"
above
turn back
his cry outran
head he held
his
fignet of the Khalif.
Then Obedient to the bearer of the
the
men.
ring.
Rode back with him, and from
the path's
laft
turn
Pointed the fhady refting-place wherein
Their General fought repofe.
On And Kafim faw him coming and
To
greet him.
But the forrow
Reached him before Sat
on
That
his
in his face fo
words,
blotted out the fmile
fain
arofe
grave a thought
brow, and fpread o'erfhadowing wings
Then Kafim's arms They
his
Jaffier pafled,
fell
upon
his lips.
empty of the
friend
had girdled. Slowly Jaffier fpake
D 2
"The
36
" Thus unto Kafim c
When
Daughters
doth the Khalif fay
to the General
Let him give order that
comes
:
this fignet-ring
a noble bull,
Deep-dewlapped, and wide-horned, be brought: and
The
beaft be flaughtered
Stript
from
Wrapt
its
delay to execute
grief and
tawny hide
Kafim come.
therein let
'Twere well
clofely to the Khalifate.
That none
Then
And
it.
and
let
my
will
'
!'
wonder Kafim's bofom
filled
Grief that his fealty was fufpeft of ill,
And wonder
of what
Thus mutely Sought
u
Nay,
And
if
he was fufpeft.
queftioned (for young Kafim's eye
his in
doubt) fad Jaffier (hook his head.
that I
know
a thought of
Or, from
Impute
ill
it
rifing,
not
;
wrong
fearch in thine
own
heart,
therein has lurked
was exprefled
in aft,
to that the fentence !"
" From
the hour
of King Daher.
When
37
on the fword,
in his fervice I girt
That
fince has helped to fpread his Khalifate
Unto
the fnow-peaked
heart has never harboured e'en a thought
My
Difloyal to I
know
To
of wealthy Scinde,
hills
take
my
not.
my
Wherefore
Lord.
But life,
In battle offered
I
know
he takes but of his
many
it
fault
that if he wills
own
a time to death,
And
Seemingly certain, for him.
That thus
my
had been clofed
I
would
upon
a plain
Where Vi&ory trode before our troops, and To glory all who fell. I will obey." Truth
fat
on Kafim's brow,
Was
written in his eyes
And
holding out his arms
The
friends
And med
A
and
inmoft heart
Jaffier groaned,
for
fome brief fpace
upon each other's fhoulders leaned,
fuch tears as
The fhadow
:
his
led
men may
fhed unfhamed.
of the palm had travelled fcarce
hand's breadth from the time
when Kafim
heard
The Daughters
38
The
Khalif's bidding
The
cadence of its fong
The
friends
Of hoofs
fcarce the bird had reached
when on
remounted, and with hurried beat
re-echoed
down
the winding gorge.
Rattling from point to point
And
To
their fteeds
they hurried back.
through the ftreets of Oomerkote rode
faft
where, within the Palace Court, the tent
Of Kafim
flood.
For
fo the
General
Decreed, and fcorned to dwell beneath the roof
Of palaces
while
Then Kafim
Go To
Duty was
bade his
flay the bull
a-field.
faithful
and called
body-guard
his captains wife,
hold a council with him, and difcufs
The
conduct of the war.
Then he
The
beft difpofal of the troops,
Where
And
victory
would follow
declared
and fhowed
where
defeat
having given to each in ordinance
His future duties and
ftricl:
his prefent charge,
:
of King Daher.
He
told the Khalif's will
And how But
39
concerning him.
his heart was innocent of guilt,
liftened to the bidding
of his Lord.
As, when a gallant bark glides o'er the wave.
Her canvas
bellying to the wind, her
Flaked with the foam of going
A
prow
when
at
once
fudden flaw leaps ruffling on the lake
And
dips her
Her crew
amazement
horror and
fail
and drags
burfts a groan
to fwift deftruftion
Of helplefs From
drowns her
pennon
chill
the pent bofoms of a watching crowd.
So, from the bold hearts round him, Kafim's words,
Hollow with
grief, a
deep-voiced echo woke,
And
fudden
Was
one among them,
Had
faved in battle.
And
eager words of love and gratitude
ftir
of forrowing
whom
To
Carried his heart away.
furprife.
the General's fword
his feet
he fprang
So that he
failed
The Daughters
40
To
note
how
every word he fpoke was changed
Into a cruel arrow as
it
" Be you," he
" our
not Waled.
For you
To
cried,
We have fought
Khalif.
All the blood that runs
fwell our hearts in vi&ory, freely poured,
Shall tide
You
you on
to Baghdad's Khalifate.
prop our country's honour
Its
name among
By
our brave
A A
fped.
chieftain,
the nations.
you have fpread
You
are loved
as brave foldiers love
foldiers
moulded
after their
own
hearts,
conqueror, wrefting kingdoms."
Kafim His accents tremulous
And
forrow
I
did not
in the
Here
is
And
are thefe
know my
That
my
fmites
proud face pale,
throned in his eyes.
fitting
" What words
his
Did
?
guilt
but
I
not fay but
this did
me
it
finds
through
my
my
now
know
Khalif 's juftice was no wrong guilt
rofe,
?
weaknefs out
pride.
And now
I feel
of King
That would
Were
the Khalif pardon me,
difloyal, in difloyal
all
To It
life this
day
me what my heart would be now to die. For
To
give
Never
profefs
my
life
thoughts fpare
and add the further boon
grant
That you
41
Did great Waled
It bred in others.
My
D after.
me
my bofom
yield
defired the moft
all
me
peace before
hereafter think
upon
my
the love this requeft I die.
death
Save as an offering needful for the good
Of him whom That by my
Allah chofe to rule the
ftate,
ceafing from the hearts of
There might not be
a corner kept from
men him
In any living breaft of thofe he ruled."
Then
rofe the captains,
one by one
j
and mute
Paft from the chamber, trufting not with fpeech
Their
lips
Each
after
fo
near their hearts had climbed to them.
each approached the chief, and wrung
The Daughters
42 His hand Pricelefs
From
dropping on
at parting
beyond
all
it
tears
jewels, being fhed
the ftout hearts of warriors.
As
From
out the
they
filed
tumult in the ftreet
hall, a
Arofe, where fturdy foldiers dragged along
The bull, deep-dewlapped, and wide-horned, who hung Againft the halter
From
his diftended noftrils,
Wide-parting,
To
flid
fpumy fmoke
fnorting
while his hoofs
along the pavement, loath
tread except in freedom.
They
fmote him and he
Dulled quickly
Of purple And
the
His
fiery
eye
while a thread
blood acrofs his muzzle ftreaked,
warm
flefh
As Kafim bade them.
Had
the door
his limbs fhivered,
dropt into the duft
From
fell.
At
and he was dead.
they
ftript
But
the fteaming hide
ere yet the knife
pierced the fhaggy covering of the breaft,
Kafim was dead
!
of King Daber.
The
Of paffionate So
full
:
which obedience held
confcious innocence and hate of fhame.
When His
noble heart, fo
love of glory, burft in twain
fierce the ftruggle
With
43
to the tent the foldiers
'heft
accomplifhed
came
His noble head repofed
Flung with an
idle
tell
on the marble
found him, feeming fleeping.
They
to
floor
On
his fhield
his glorious limbs
grace of
liftleflhefs,
That
well might tempt the fculptor, on his cloak.
Then
they took up the body
As
mourning him
a tried comrade, and a General
Who
loved his foldiers well, and never led
His armies to defeat.
On There
He
fell
Jaffier's heart
a fenfe of lonelinefs and
want
miffed the ftrong grafp of his hand
In echoes incomplete
ftill
haunted him,
:
his voice
The Daughters
44 And made him As
thofe
The
long to hear
who wake by
fong entire
Rings
found again,
its
night would fain recall
from which a broken
in their ears
line
from weary chime to chime.
And by his death his innocence was proved. And Jaffier fighed, " It is ill done ill done But how
To
I
know
think that
it
not.
For
;
his great heart burft
was doubted."
Then
they wrapt
The
corpfe within the hide, and drew with cords
The
edges
A
litter
till
they met.
Next
fafhioned they
rude of boughs, and fo beftowed
The body on
a bier unworthy.
High
Upon
the flioulders of four prifoners placed,
Dead Kafim
pafTed
Of foldiers, who
in
between the
filent
rows
forrowing wonder came
(For fwift along the camp the
Flew upon wings of rumour)
evil
news
to behold
of King Daher.
For the
To
time, the chieftain
laft
Death
And from Veered
to
that hour the fortune of the
like a fickle
to
war
that fwings a vane
Weft, and holds
Indus, e'er a
it
there
O'er the fords
week had
pafled,
^
invaders fled before the avenging fteel
Of Scinde's
fierce tribes.
Their troops
By
wind
gufty perfeverance.
Of fwelling The
had led
never to Defeat.
Vi&ory
Sudden from Eaft
With
who
45
Another week beheld
retiring, harafled
on the
rear
hovering bands of archers, and the raids
Of horfemen And
fpreading death, diforder, and difmay.
Then
And
fweeping by the column's flank,
the retreating foldier
cried,
" Were Kafim
wrung
his hands,
here, this had not been !"
r r
The Daughters
46
!
|ILENT Were
the Khalif
Waled
His brows
fat.
knit with lines of thought, for in
his heart
A
vague mifgiving
Had
houfed
Swam The
provident of
ill
In vain the dancing
itfelf.
girls
through their threaded dances, and in vain
fweet-voiced flaves chanted in unifon
Their
tales
of love or war, or cunning praife
O'ergarlanded with
With
flattery.
He was
fad
waiting Jaffier's feeming-flow return.
As women
pale and ficken, while they gaze
Acrofs the waters for their hufbands'
Bound homeward from the
fiftiing
fail,
ground,
till
Hope Dies
like a
lamp unfed within a tower
O'erlooking Ocean.
The
afpecl:
Love
So Revenge aflumed
puts on, the while
For the return of the expe&ed one.
it
waits
of King Daher.
At
To
length a horfeman through the city rode
where the Palace
And
o'er the Tigris
lighted at the gate.
The
Full well that ftalwart rider
The
in the plain
warlike games
That
and
full
knew well
for oft
below the warriors played
when
the jereed
was flung
horfe and rider, feeming one, had as fkims the
Acrofs the turf
Above
And
hung
Khalif
dappled Barbary he backed
When At
47
a lake
turned
it
fkimmed
long-winged fwift
and caught the flying dart
back againft the hand that
caft.
Meanwhile, the murmurs of a gathering crowd
Which
queftioned vainly what the foldiers bare
Wrapt
in a
Was And
black bull's hide
borne into the chamber. fmiled
for
he perceived
upon the wind
Waled his will
They
bare the burden in and laid
Upon
the marble table in the midft
it
rofe
was done
down
!
The Daughters
48
Of Waled's
Hall of Banquet.
Peered from behind the
pillars,
Curious flaves or devifed
Errands imagined that could form excufe
For near approach
With hands
To To
where the Khalif
flood.
that trembled in their eager hafte
ope the hide.
Who
to
He
toyed with
it,
as
one
finds a treafure-cafket, yet delays
raife
the
own mind
tormenting his
lid
With
the delicious mifery of doubt.
" Go
call the
Who
loitered neareft
Then from
Indian maids !" he cried to one,
the inner
on a miffion feigned.
bower where they
In a delightful twilight haze that
Through many Looped with
folds
fat
fwam
of curtains, dropt with gold,
the white ftud of a ftiapely pearl,
And
broidered o'er with cunning flowers in
The
fitters
The And
filk,
came.
ftrode to
Khalif grimly laughed,
meet them.
On
the Fragrant's
arm
of King Daher. Laying
hand ungently
his
49
in his hafte,
Until the blood blufhed in the dufky fkin,
Againft the cruel preffure of his grafp
" See how
And from
the Khalif
is
obeyed," he
the calm face fhred
And fhowed where Kafim
faid,
away the hide
lay.
A
happy fmile
Like that which curves the pouting rofebud
Of fleeping Had on
his
on the mouth.
children, lingered
And Death had fmoothed
the furrows
brow recorded.
lips
Still
Time
and Care
a flufh,
memory of Life, was on the cheek, And underneath their lids the deep brown
eyes
Showed
at reft,
In
faintly.
So peaceful and
Of diflblution, " See how
The
fate
Then
Death feemed only Life fo perfect, free
was the dead man's
the Khalif
of him
in the
from touch
who
is
obeyed
dares to
face.
behold
fhame
his lord !"
dark eyes of the Indian maids E
The Daughters
50
A
fubtle fmile
Smiled
The As
grew
And
alfo.
brightening
their lips
the Fragrant overflowed
filence with the filver
of her fpeech,
a flow-dripping fountain brims
And
till
its fliell
drops melodious on the marble bafe
When
the
ftill
moon
is
regnant.
Thus "
fpake
:
Kings of great juftice do not make of Hafte
An
ally in great
Of thofe And For
Our
deeds
;
or,
on the charge
that hate him, flay a fervant tried.
Him we
ever faithful found. that through
him our
flaves
land
accufed
through him
father died
houfe was rendered defolate
Made
and prifoners
in
a
ourfelves ftrange,
Of natural Our
grief,
fupplication.
For know
ftrange
:
For had we come with but our fimple
A
flie
that
tale
your pride had laughed to fcorn
Therefore our
Kafim was
father or a brother
;
and
deceit.
to us, as his
hand
is
.
of King Daher.
Touched not our honour
Of purity
from
very
hem
refrained.
We Vengeance
Of
its
do fucceed
ours, and in the Khalif's houfe
is
lo
judgment,
!
there
is
great forrow !"
Dark
Grew Waled's
The
countenance
;
and loud
his
words
cruel mufic of the maiden's fpeech
Drowned
in their
Of thunder Of wind
wrathy tumult,
quenches the inceflant found
and
rain,
Are wept away
when Autumn's
wrought
fultry nights
in ftorms.
Thus
Was
as the roar
to
woe
Waled by a woman's craft. Moflem mourned the General
Long
long the
Mighty
in action,
Whom
ready
pure in thought and word,
Envy
At prompting of
lafting
flaughtered ruthleflly
the flanderous tongue of Hate. E 2
The Daughters of King Daher.
52 That
night the daughters of the Indian King,
Unfullied, pure as the unopened buds
That
ne'er encounter fummer's looks of love
But drop untimely
in the vernal frofts
Faffed from the vext earth to the quiet iky
Where
never forrow mars the heart's repofe.
Termmafus. JHUS
ends an ancient tale of ancient times.
When
on the provinces of wealthy
Scinde
The
followers of the Prophet
And
fpread their conquering armies o'er the land,
Bearing the creed
Among
made
defcent,
Mohammed's Koran
taught
Other arms.
the tribes of India.
Since then victorious in the Eaftern land,
Have
chronicles well worthy, telling
Of victory
treachery boldly quelled
Of favage wrong broader light
and deeds
borne nobly, through a
Purer than that of I flam
A
much
arifes in
at
faith
whofe fpread
the Eaft.
Terminatus.
54 Yet would Carry
the poet grieve did Time's fwift lapfe
this ftory to the filent fea
Of dark
Oblivion.
Mournful
And
pointing
how
Its perfect circle
Inflexible
the tale,
is
the round of
wrong completes
of fad circumftance,
involving virtue's
In fuffering fequent on an
felf
evil deed.
So on a mountain height a fhard
By
idle
fet loofe
hands, that reck not what they do,
Defcending, gathers impulfe as
it
fpeeds,
Until whole fnowfields, flipping from their hold
Upon the fteep, fwoop downward, burying The fleeping villages within the vale :
And
after,
melting
Long furrows on
leave to
the hill-fide
mark
their courfe
in the plain
Vaft rocks, and trees uprooted, that
As folemn monuments
Of the
in
may
coming years
difaftrous avalanche.
ferve
Terminates.
55
The Lyre That
lately to
Is filent.
an Indian meafure
Ended
Of the two
is
thrilled
the fad old fong
daughters of the King of Scinde.
'The
Song of the Lark
HE
rainy mift
in the City.
was hanging low.
Creeping flow Creeping along the crowded Dulling the echo of bufy
As
ftreet,
feet.
the throngs patted by in ceafelefs flow,
Haftening, hurrying to and
fro.
Overhead was a fky of lead,
Never
a glimpfe of blue to be feen
Never
a gleam the clouds between
And my heart fank low with doubt and And thoughts of the morrow. Its care
and forrow,
dread;
Song of the Lark
58
And
the
Filled
toil for
my
daily bread.
heart with a wild mifgiving
" Without
:
a friend to love or pity,
All alone in this crowded city Where is the ufe of living ? "
Trill
The
trill
trill
!
fong of a lark
Scattered the vifions dreary and dark.
And woke my Poor It
little
chanted
As
if it
From
And
its
fweet fong over and over,
were only newly
up if
rifen
the fields of emerald wheat and clover
Heavenward
As
thrill.
lark, in its tiny prifon
the notes
Up
heart with a
up
came pouring,
foaring !
the cup
Of its
happinefs were overflowing,
:
in the City.
Out on
And
the
hills
with a
frefli
breeze blowing,
the fky to eaftward redly glowing,
In the bright green country
At
59
far
morn of a funny fummer
the
Sorrow vanifhed
away, day.
gloom was banifhed
Forgotten the dreary mifty weather
And
Up
long leagues
off,
in the fanlight's
;
where the corn was green,
golden fheen,
heart and the lark were mounting together
My H igh
high
high
In the bright blue fky.
Trill
trill
So cheerily
The
trill
!
ftill
lark in the midft of the bufy city,
Over and over Raifmg
my
So, with
all
fang
its
ditty
;
heart like a holy beatitude. gratitude,
60
Song of the Lark in the City. Cheered and chaftened,
Onward
I
haftened,
Bleffing the bird for
That haunted my
its
merry fong,
heart the whole day long;.
Home
at Laft.
Mary, come and Here befide me,
Of the window With
the
laft
in the
fit
bay
ruby-lit
gleams of the Day.
Steeped in crimfon through and through
Glow
the battlements of vapour
While above them,
in the blue,
Hefper
lights his tiny taper.
Look
the rook
!
;
flies
weftward, darling,
Flapping flowly overhead
;
See, in dufky clouds, the ftarling
Whirring
Through
to the willow-bed.
the lakes of mift, that
Breaft-deep in the
fields
below,
lie
Home
62
at Laft.
Underneath the darkening fky
Home
the weary reapers go.
Peace and Reft
have come,
All the day's long
toil is paft
And
whifpering
each heart
Home
Mary I
at length
can
!
at laft
in
is
;
Home
" !
your great grave eyes
fee the long-repreft
Grief, whofe earneft look denies
That
to-night each heart's at reft.
Seven years ago you parted
He
to India
went alone
;
Young, and ftrong, and hopeful-hearted " Oh, he would not long be gone !" Seven years have lingered by
;
Youth, and Strength, and Hope have Life beneath an Indian fky
Withers limb and whitens head.
But
his faith has
never faltered
;
fled
:
Home Time
is
have news this hurried
That
Be
fays
many
days,
fafe in port.
will fly fo faft
he's coming,
!
He
!
come
foon, dear, will he
Thofe few days
Yes
!
note and fhort
Will be anchored !
prepared
good news
his fhip, ere
Courage
:
fadly altered
So he writes me.
In
63
his noble heart has fpared
Yet, dear, he
I
at Laft.
;
Home
Mary
*****
Home
at laft
!
Idle
words
In a
veflel, leagues
!
yet ftrangely
fit
!
away,
In the cabin, ruby-lit
By the laft gleams of the Day, Calm and ftill the loved one lies Never
tear of joy or forrow
Shall unfeal thofe
They
:
will
heavy eyes
ope to no To-morrow.
Home
64
at Loft.
Folded hands upon a breaft,
Where no
feverifh pulfes flutter,
Speak of an unbroken
That no
And
earthly tongue
on the
to hover
utter.
grow
lip,
come and go
the fhadows
With
may
a fweet fmile feems to
Seems
As
reft,
the motion of the fhip.
Reft and Peace at length have comeReft and Peace
how
Weary wanderer
Home
at laft
!
deep and vaft
truly
Home
!
A Shell ITS
HE
JOURNEY.
cold gray
Over
dawn was beginning
the Auftrian frontier-line.
From a flreak It
to {hine
of pink on the water's edge,
climbed up the cloud-cliffs, ledge by ledge
;
Till at laft the day rofe broad and bright.
Routing the fcattered ranks of night.
The
rays of the fun crept
From
the roof-tops into the ftreets of the
Where, on
An
down and down town
either fide of the guard-houfe entry,
imperturbable Aufrrian fentry,
Clad
in
grimed white coat and breeches,
Stood upright
in the
watch-box niches. F
;
A Shell.
66 Each was fmoking
his
morning pipe
and fweet
;
Curled the odorous incenfe along the
ftreet
The morning air blew frefh but And lifted the tiny blue ringlets
aloft,
Preferving their flavour foothing
and bland,
Rich and mellow
The
fo that,
foft,
poor fellow,
beggar, diftant Tome hundred
From
;
feet
the fentry-boxes black and yellow,
Taited the
relifti
at fecond hand.
And now, foon after the morning's break, The little town is beginning to wake. Shutters fwing backward, and blinds
As
the drowfy houfes open
Heads peep
forth at the
arife,
their eyes.
windows, and yawn
In the fmiling face of the rofy dawn.
Soon the urchins, knuckling
Out of their
Then
eyelids,
fleep
fchoolward creep
;
the girls for water going
Set the tongues and fountains flowing
;
A Shell And
laft
a general bufy
Tells that the time of
Hark
!
hum
toil is
come.
on the daybreak breezes borne,
Rings the note of a diftant horn
And
rattle
Come
67
j
of wheel and rhythm of hoof
from the high-road
faint
far aloof.
But ever approaching nearer and nearer.
The
found grows louder, the horn rings clearer
For the mail with Is galloping
up
its fiery
horfes eight
to the frontier-gate
;
Over
the bridge with a roll like thunder,
Then
with a roar the archway under,
And
clattering, pattering
over the ftones,
While the heavy Diligence fways and groans, Toiling the foam o'er their tangled manes,
And
guided by chances rather than reins,
The
eight
Slide
and fcramble over the
little
fturdy plunging nags flags.
F 2
;
A Shell.
68
When The
the journey
funfet's glory
in Italy's fky
commenced, began to
die
;
Their hurrying hoofs the whole long night
Have
fcattered the flint-fparks left and right.
And now, when the moon has funk to The ftrong little horfes, two abreaft,
reft,
Pull-up on the Auftrian frontier-line, Juft as the day
The
fentries
is
beginning to fhine.
have fmuggled their meerfchaums
away
Never were
When With
fentries ftiffer
the Corporal
than they
fierce at the
;
door appears,
a red mouftache, and rings in his ears.
Quick
at his call the frontier-guard
Comes wheeling out of the barrack-yard. The Drummer fmart raps out cc The Surround,"
And
the butts of the mufkets ring on the ground.
Then
And
each fleepy pafTenger climbs from his perch,
the Emperor's fervants begin the fearch.
A Shell
69
So out come the keys, and down on
Goes
And
a foldier devoutly at every
At
the things infide
the contraband
And
trifles
are
the fat
little
handed out
its clofe.
Corporal, poking his nofe
O'er the door of the mail,
as he goes to
Finds a parcel there in the pocket
What
it is
turns
This
he cannot difcover
it,
and twifts
finifhes
Any
!
up
this is a
exile in
it,
and
his careful
feels
it all
infpeHon
man we ought
England
to
watch
ready to hatch
treafon againft the State !"
So he orders the Diligence
While he
unlock
!
fpelling out the whole direction.
By " Ha
;
get tumbled about,
length the fearch approaches
And
;
the traveller's patience expires by degrees.
When
He
knees
cords are unknotted, and opened are locks
While
As
box
his
ftill
to wait
takes the package in, to fee
over
;
it,
A Shell.
yo
What
hidden contents
its
may
be.
In thofe crafty fingers what knots could hold
The
feals give
And I
way, and the wraps unfold
the Corporal grunts in
thought
a
Only
Had
it
was fomething
fliell,
:
" Well wonder, elfe
than a
?
!
(hell !"
that in former time
a tiny habitant,
wont
to climb
'Mid the coral and weed of the azure deep,
On
whofe bofom the fhadows of Venice
No
great
As he
caft his
Which,
The
wonder the Corporal's
as
he guefled, was meant to beguile with a foolifh joy,
And empty remembrance
As he
it
fmile,
eye on the fimple toy,
exile's heart
"Let
fleep.
go !"
faid the
carried the
little
of once-on-a-while
Corporal ftout, parcel out.
!
A Shell So away went the mail with
Out of the town, and over Till the found of
its
71 eight frefh fteeds,
its
the meads
;
going died away.
And
the fun had reached to the middle-day.
Oh,
the Corporal laughed as he entered the door,
With its two ftiff fentries {landing before. " Had it been a crazy Englifliman, well Could
I
underftand fuch
ITS
Over
The
A
folly.
fhell !"
MESSAGE.
the land, and over the fea,
little
parcel travelled to me.
the cover
Quickly
I tore
And faw
the fhell that within
knew
it
lay
a friendly hand
Ah,
I
Had
culled
Ten
long years ago,
From my
away
it
on that
diftant ftrand.
when
I,
native land, by night,
;
A Shell
72
Hurried in a fecret
Such a
On I
flight.
(hell as this did lie
the
laft
verge of the fhore
might tread again no more
Then
!
in foolifh idle fafhion,
In the homelinefs of paflion,
Up
I
fnatched the (hell, and caft
Far into the waters vaft
Murmuring,
To
"
When
the ftrand from
From my I, too,
\
the waves reftore thee
which
exile o'er the
I tore thee,
main
mall return again."
That was
ten long years ago
Years how heavy-paced and flow
And
again I fee a {hell,
Like that one
remembered well
On the dear Italian ftrand When I left my native land
!
Spite of Auftrian prohibition,
!
A Shell.
73
Spite of frontier inquifition,
Hearts Italian o'er the fea
Send
their meflenger to
And
the fhell has done
me
With
a holy deep delight,
As
fome great facred
at
I raifed
Reverently
That
its
errand
Placed
its
Heard
its
pink
it
miflion.
its
rite.
the fhell tell
might
lips to
mine ear
whifper low and clear
Faintly of the fea
That dark
it
fighed,
blue, that diftant tide
Adria's wave, that fwells and
Round
And
the
the
fair
murmur of the
Patience
!
falls
Venetian walls.
Spoke the meflage
"
:
fea
fent to
Venice
will
me
:
be free !"
Lines on the Death of Catherine (Hayes) Eujhnell.
UT
late
among
us with that fmile fo
tender,* Thrilling the hearts of the attentive
throng
With
To
Now
all
Genius and true Feeling render
that
give a
gone
charm
!
to Song.
Yet mourn her
not, for fhe rejoices
In the bright realm, to which her foul has *
Thofe who remember Mrs. Bufhnell cannot
the peculiarly fweet fmile
with which
that never failed to follow her fong.
:
fled,
fail
to reca
fhe greeted the applau]
Lines.
75
She joins her voice with Heaven's exultant voices
One
of the happy dead
Yet we muft
To
grieve
!
we, who are
left
behind her,
lack companionfhip fo fine and rare
To feel a void where we were To mifs her everywhere
wont
j
to find her
!
As
in
fome
foft
Spring morning, dim and early
Ere yet the daylight has Soaring aloft above the
difperfed the dark
meadows
We hear the trilling lark
Our
ear the
Towering
;
mounting melody in circles
on
pearly,
its
ftill
follows,
pinions ftrong
Till an abrupt and fudden filence fwallows
The
clear yet diftant fong
!
Lines.
j6
Thus we Scarce
" She
is
her voice within our hearts feel
our
not dead.
She was
fo
lofs in full
ftill
We have but miffed
near the fky !"
ringing
but doubting, figh, her finging,
To Goldenhair. FROM HORACE.
H, Pyrrha
To
tell
clip thee
Who,
me, whofe the happy on a couch of lavifh
lot
rofes-
bathed in odorous dews, in his fond arms enclofes
Thee,
For
in
fome happy grot
whom
thofe nets of golden-gloried hair
Doft thou entwine Alas, poor boy
Deeming
?
!
in
cunning carelefsnefses
who
?
thee, in fond belief, care/Fes,
thee wholly
fair
?
To Goldenhair.
78
How oft fhall he thy ficklenefs bemoan When fair to foul fhall change and he, unlkilful In pilotage, beholds
The
with tempefts wildly wilful
happy calm o'erthrown
He, who now hopes All void of care, and
Knows
!
that thou wilt ever prove
full
of fond endearing,
not that varies more, than Zephyrs everveering,
The
fickle breath
Ah,
haplefs he, to
Thou
feemeft
fair
!
of Love.
whom
like feas untried
That my
fea-going's ended
My votive tablet fhows, to thofe Who o'er the waves prefide.
dark Gods fufpended,
The Loft Expedition. IFT
lift,
ye mifts from off the
filent
coaft,
Folded
Unfhroud
the
The fnow The
our brave ones
for us awhile
Let us behold
In vain
in endlefs winter's chill
their faces
North has their
groan of ice-bergs
them from our
flieet
fight
furges.
Funeral Torches with a fmoky glare
Shone
a farewell
upon
;
their only dirges
in the polar night
Racked by the favage
No
!
!
hid
winding
loft
embraces
their flirouded faces
;
\
8o
No
The Loft Expedition. monumental
Towers
pillar tall
the
cliffs
Of ice-bergs,
flare the
long night through
ftupendous, fraught with
tinted with a ghoftly
Of amethyft
No human
fair
o'er their refting-places.
But Northern Streamers
Over
and
peril.
hue
and beryl.
tears
upon
their graves are fhed
Tears of Domeftic Love, or Pity Holy
;
But fnow-flakes from the gloomy fky overhead, Down-fhuddering,
Yet Hiftory
The
fhrines
fettle flowly.
them with her mighty dead,
hero-feamen of
this Ifle
And, when the brighter
There
will their
fcroll
of Britain,
of Heaven
names be written
!
is
read,
Spring.
I
ERE, where
the
tall
Slope to the river
Strange impulfes
Have made me wander
I fee,
down
the
firs
hill.
like vernal ftirs-
at their will.
with half-attentive eyes,
The And
plantation
buds and flowers that mark the Spring,
Nature's myriad prophecies
Of what
For every
the
Summer Suns
will bring.
fenfe I find delight
The new-wed
cufhat's
murmured
tones,
82
Spring.
Young bloflbms burfting into fight And the rich odour of the cones.
The
larch, with taflels purple-pink,
Whifpers
And
the grafs in fhady nooks.
breeze, that hangs round every
Steals fweetnefs
With
violets
among
where behind the
See
Grow if
ivied
Gleams
rock
of white anemonies,
mimicking
fingle
gum
the roots.
the Spring, in Winter's
Were
The
drifts
bum,
from the tender (hoots,
here and there a perfumed
From
As
;
fun-forgotten dew-drops wink
Amid
The
brooks
like diftant falling
bloom
his
mock,
fnows with
thefe,
thofe furzes bear
like the fiery planet
Mars
;
Spring.
The creamy
primrofes appear
In galaxies of vernal
And
grouped
Lent-lilies
With
8.3.
ftars
;
in Pleiad clufters
blow
fome
fix
round,
or feven
bloflbm-conftellations crown'd
This quiet nook refembles Heaven.
:
London
:
F. Sboberl, Printer, 37, Dean Street, Sobo,
W.