The Poetical Works of Beattie, Blair, and Falconer Part 36

CANTO II.

THE SCENE LIES AT SEA, BETWEEN CAPE FRESCHIN IN CANDIA, AND THE ISLAND OF FALCONERA, WHICH IS NEARLY TWELVE LEAGUES NORTHWARD OF CAPE SPADO.

TIME, FROM NINE IN THE MORNING UNTIL ONE O'CLOCK OF THE NEXT DAY AT NOON.

THE ARGUMENT.

I. Reflections on leaving sh.o.r.e.

II. Favourable breeze.

Water-spout.

The dying dolphin.

Breeze freshens.

s.h.i.+p's rapid progress along the coast.

Top-sails reefed.

Gale of wind.

Last appearance, bearing, and distance of Cape Spado.

A squall.

Top-sails double-reefed.

Main-sail split.

The s.h.i.+p bears up; again hauls upon the wind.

Another main-sail bent, and set.

Porpoises.

III. The s.h.i.+p driven out of her course from Candia.

Heavy gale.

Top-sails furled.

Top-gallant-yards lowered.

Heavy sea.

Threatening sun-set.

Difference of opinion respecting the mode of taking in the main-sail.

Courses reefed.

Four seamen lost off the lee mainyard-arm.

Anxiety of the master, and his mates, on being near a lee-sh.o.r.e.

Mizen reefed.

IV. A tremendous sea bursts over the deck; its consequences.

The s.h.i.+p labours in great distress.

Guns thrown over-board.

Dismal appearance of the weather.

Very high and dangerous sea.

Storm of lightning.

Severe fatigue of the crew at the pumps.

Critical situation of the s.h.i.+p near the Island of Falconera.

Consultation and resolution of the officers.

Speech and advice of Albert; his devout address to heaven.

Order given to scud.

The fore stay-sail hoisted and split.

The head yards braced aback.

The mizen-mast cut away.

I. Adieu! ye pleasures of the sylvan scene, Where peace and calm contentment dwell serene: To me, in vain, on earth's prolific soil, With summer crown'd, the Elysian valleys smile: To me those happier scenes no joy impart, But tantalize with hope my aching heart.

Ye tempests! o'er my head congenial roll, To suit the mournful music of my soul; In black progression, lo, they hover near!

Hail, social horrors! like my fate severe: 10 Old Ocean hail! beneath whose azure zone The secret deep lies unexplored, unknown.

Approach, ye brave companions of the sea!

And fearless view this awful scene with me.

Ye native guardians of your country's laws!

Ye brave a.s.sertors of her sacred cause!

The Muse invites you, judge if she depart, Unequal, from the th.o.r.n.y rules of art.

In practice train'd, and conscious of her power, She boldly moves to meet the trying hour: 20 Her voice attempting themes, before unknown To music, sings distresses all her own.

II. O'er the smooth bosom of the faithless tides, Propell'd by flattering gales, the vessel glides: Rodmond, exulting, felt the auspicious wind, And by a mystic charm its aim confined.

The thoughts of home that o'er his fancy roll, With trembling joy dilate Palemon's soul; Hope lifts his heart, before whose vivid ray Distress recedes, and danger melts away. 30 Tall Ida's summit now more distant grew, And Jove's high hill [1] was rising to the view; When on the larboard quarter they descry A liquid column towering shoot on high; The foaming base the angry whirlwinds sweep, Where curling billows rouse the fearful deep: Still round and round the fluid vortex flies, Diffusing briny vapours o'er the skies.

This vast phenomenon, whose lofty head, In heaven immersed, embracing clouds o'erspread, 40 In spiral motion first, as seamen deem, Swells, when the raging whirlwind sweeps the stream.

The swift volution, and the enormous train, Let sages versed in nature's lore explain.

The horrid apparition still draws nigh, And white with foam the whirling billows fly.

The guns were primed; the vessel northward veers, Till her black battery on the column bears: The nitre fired; and, while the dreadful sound, Convulsive shook the slumbering air around, 50 The watery volume, trembling to the sky, Burst down, a dreadful deluge, from on high!

The expanding ocean trembled as it fell, And felt with swift recoil her surges swell; But soon, this transient undulation o'er, The sea subsides, the whirlwinds rage no more.

While southward now the increasing breezes veer, Dark clouds inc.u.mbent on their wings appear: Ahead they see the consecrated grove Of Cyprus, sacred once to Cretan Jove. 60 The s.h.i.+p beneath her lofty pressure reels, And to the freshening gale still deeper heels.

But now, beneath the lofty vessel's stern, A shoal of sportive dolphins they discern, Beaming from burnish'd scales refulgent rays, Till all the glowing ocean seems to blaze: In curling wreaths they wanton on the tide, Now bound aloft, now downward swiftly glide; Awhile beneath the waves their tracks remain, And burn in silver streams along the liquid plain. 70 Soon to the sport of death the crew repair, Dart the long lance, or spread the baited snare.

One in redoubling mazes wheels along, And glides unhappy near the triple p.r.o.ng: Rodmond, unerring, o'er his head suspends The barbed steel, and every turn attends; Unerring aim'd, the missile weapon flew, And, plunging, struck the fated victim through: The upturning points his ponderous bulk sustain, On deck he struggles with convulsive pain. 80 But while his heart the fatal javelin thrills, And flitting life escapes in sanguine rills, What radiant changes strike the astonish'd sight!

What glowing hues of mingled shade and light!

Not equal beauties gild the lucid west With parting beams all o'er profusely drest; Not lovelier colours paint the vernal dawn, When orient dews impearl the enamell'd lawn, Than from his sides in bright suffusion flow, That now with gold empyreal seem to glow; 90 Now in pellucid sapphires meet the view, And emulate the soft celestial hue; Now beam a flaming crimson on the eye, And now a.s.sume the purple's deeper dye: But here description clouds each s.h.i.+ning ray; What terms of art can nature's powers display!

The lighter sails, for summer winds and seas, Are now dismiss'd, the straining masts to ease; Swift on the deck the stud-sails all descend, Which ready seamen from the yards unbend; 100 The boats then hoisted in are fix'd on board, And on the deck with fastening gripes secured.

The watchful ruler of the helm no more With fix'd attention eyes the adjacent sh.o.r.e, But by the oracle of truth below, The wondrous magnet guides the wayward prow.

The powerful sails, with steady breezes swell'd, Swift and more swift the yielding bark impell'd: Across her stem the parting waters run, As clouds, by tempests wafted, pa.s.s the sun. 110 Impatient thus she darts along the sh.o.r.e, Till Ida's mount, and Jove's, are seen no more; And, while aloof from Retimo she steers, Maleca foreland full in front appears.

Wide o'er yon Isthmus stands the cypress grove, That once enclosed the hallow'd fane of Jove: Here, too, memorial of his name! is found A tomb in marble ruins on the ground.

This gloomy tyrant, whose despotic sway Compell'd the trembling nations to obey, 120 Through Greece for murder, rape, and incest known, The Muses raised to high Olympus' throne; For oft, alas! their venal strains adorn The prince whom blus.h.i.+ng virtue holds in scorn: Still Rome and Greece record his endless fame, And hence yon mountain yet retains his name.

But see! in confluence borne before the blast, Clouds roll'd on clouds the dusky noon o'ercast: The blackening ocean curls, the winds arise, And the dark scud [2] in swift succession flies. 130 While the swoln canvas bends the masts on high, Low in the wave the leeward [3] cannon lie.

The master calls to give the s.h.i.+p relief, The top-sails [4] lower, and form a single reef! [5]

Each lofty yard with slacken'd cordage reels; Rattle the creaking blocks and ringing wheels.

Down the tall masts the top-sails sink amain, Are mann'd and reef'd, then hoisted up again.

More distant grew receding Candia's sh.o.r.e, And southward of the west Cape Spado bore. 140 Four hours the sun his high meridian throne Had left, and o'er Atlantic regions shone; Still blacker clouds, that all the skies invade, Draw o'er his sullied orb a dismal shade: A lowering squall obscures the southern sky, Before whose sweeping breath the waters fly; Its weight the top-sails can no more sustain-- Reef top-sails, reef! the master calls again.

The halyards and top-bow-lines [6] soon are gone, To clue-lines and reef-tackles [7] next they run: 150 The s.h.i.+vering sails descend; the yards are square; Then quick aloft the ready crew repair: The weather-earings [8] and the lee they past, The reefs enroll'd, and every point made fast.

Their task above thus finish'd, they descend, And vigilant the approaching squall attend.

It comes resistless! and with foaming sweep Upturns the whitening surface of the deep: In such a tempest, borne to deeds of death, The wayward sisters scour the blasted heath. 160 The clouds, with ruin pregnant, now impend; And storm, and cataracts, tumultuous blend.

Deep on her side the reeling vessel lies: Brail up the mizen [9] quick! the master cries, Man the clue-garnets! [10] let the main-sheet fly!

It rends in thousand s.h.i.+vering shreds on high!

The main-sail all in streaming ruins tore, Loud fluttering, imitates the thunder's roar: The s.h.i.+p still labours in the oppressive strain, Low bending, as if ne'er to rise again. 170 Bear up the helm a-weather! [11] Rodmond cries: Swift at the word the helm a-weather flies; She feels its guiding power, and veers apace, And now the fore-sail right athwart they brace: With equal sheets restrain'd, the bellying sail Spreads a broad concave to the sweeping gale.

While o'er the foam the s.h.i.+p impetuous flies, The helm the attentive timoneer [12] applies: As in pursuit along the aerial way With, ardent eye the falcon marks his prey, 180 Each motion watches of the doubtful chase, Obliquely wheeling through the fluid s.p.a.ce; So, govern'd by the steersman's glowing hands, The regent helm her motion still commands.

But now the transient squall to leeward past, Again she rallies to the sullen blast: The helm to starboard [13] moves; each s.h.i.+vering sail Is sharply trimm'd to clasp the augmenting gale.

The mizen draws; she springs aloof once more, While the fore stay-sail [14] balances before. 190 The fore-sail braced obliquely to the wind, They near the prow the extended tack confined; Then on the leeward sheet the seamen bend, And haul the bow-line to the bowsprit-end.

To top-sails next they haste; the bunt-lines gone!

Through rattling blocks the clue-lines swiftly run; The extending sheets on either side are mann'd, Abroad they come! the fluttering sails expand; The yards again ascend each comrade mast.

The leeches taught, the halyards are made fast, 200 The bow-lines haul'd, and yards to starboard braced, [15]