Chapter 12

LVII.“Two warriors, standing, mock her cries, and four,In the fire-water drenched, lie here and thereIn slumber deep, from which they woke no more.One arrow Waban sent;—through shoulder bareTransfixed, one scoffer fell, and quenched in goreHis kindling brand. Then, springing from his lair,As panther springs, with the bright glancing knifeDid Waban dart, and, hand to hand in strife,

LVII.

“Two warriors, standing, mock her cries, and four,In the fire-water drenched, lie here and thereIn slumber deep, from which they woke no more.One arrow Waban sent;—through shoulder bareTransfixed, one scoffer fell, and quenched in goreHis kindling brand. Then, springing from his lair,As panther springs, with the bright glancing knifeDid Waban dart, and, hand to hand in strife,

“Two warriors, standing, mock her cries, and four,In the fire-water drenched, lie here and thereIn slumber deep, from which they woke no more.One arrow Waban sent;—through shoulder bareTransfixed, one scoffer fell, and quenched in goreHis kindling brand. Then, springing from his lair,As panther springs, with the bright glancing knifeDid Waban dart, and, hand to hand in strife,

“Two warriors, standing, mock her cries, and four,In the fire-water drenched, lie here and thereIn slumber deep, from which they woke no more.One arrow Waban sent;—through shoulder bareTransfixed, one scoffer fell, and quenched in goreHis kindling brand. Then, springing from his lair,As panther springs, with the bright glancing knifeDid Waban dart, and, hand to hand in strife,

“Two warriors, standing, mock her cries, and four,

In the fire-water drenched, lie here and there

In slumber deep, from which they woke no more.

One arrow Waban sent;—through shoulder bare

Transfixed, one scoffer fell, and quenched in gore

His kindling brand. Then, springing from his lair,

As panther springs, with the bright glancing knife

Did Waban dart, and, hand to hand in strife,

LVIII.“Cleft down the second, who, with wild amaze,But faintly fought;—straight from the Bright-Eyed FawnThe bands were cut, and from the rising blazeShe springs unscathed. The slumberers on the lawnWere not forgot: they slept—they sleep—yet gaze(If gaze that be which is all sightless); dawn,Noon, and night, are one. Broad Antler’s ghostWandered not long upon Sowaniu’s coast;

LVIII.

“Cleft down the second, who, with wild amaze,But faintly fought;—straight from the Bright-Eyed FawnThe bands were cut, and from the rising blazeShe springs unscathed. The slumberers on the lawnWere not forgot: they slept—they sleep—yet gaze(If gaze that be which is all sightless); dawn,Noon, and night, are one. Broad Antler’s ghostWandered not long upon Sowaniu’s coast;

“Cleft down the second, who, with wild amaze,But faintly fought;—straight from the Bright-Eyed FawnThe bands were cut, and from the rising blazeShe springs unscathed. The slumberers on the lawnWere not forgot: they slept—they sleep—yet gaze(If gaze that be which is all sightless); dawn,Noon, and night, are one. Broad Antler’s ghostWandered not long upon Sowaniu’s coast;

“Cleft down the second, who, with wild amaze,But faintly fought;—straight from the Bright-Eyed FawnThe bands were cut, and from the rising blazeShe springs unscathed. The slumberers on the lawnWere not forgot: they slept—they sleep—yet gaze(If gaze that be which is all sightless); dawn,Noon, and night, are one. Broad Antler’s ghostWandered not long upon Sowaniu’s coast;

“Cleft down the second, who, with wild amaze,

But faintly fought;—straight from the Bright-Eyed Fawn

The bands were cut, and from the rising blaze

She springs unscathed. The slumberers on the lawn

Were not forgot: they slept—they sleep—yet gaze

(If gaze that be which is all sightless); dawn,

Noon, and night, are one. Broad Antler’s ghost

Wandered not long upon Sowaniu’s coast;

LIX.“Fully avenged, he sought the spirit bandOf his brave fathers, whilst the daughter, wonBy Waban from the cruel Pequot’s hand,Dwelt in his lodge, the mother of his son.All now are gone—gone to the spirit land,And Waban’s left all desolate and lone.”Such tales the evening hours beguiled, and filledWith breathless zest, or with blank horror chilled.

LIX.

“Fully avenged, he sought the spirit bandOf his brave fathers, whilst the daughter, wonBy Waban from the cruel Pequot’s hand,Dwelt in his lodge, the mother of his son.All now are gone—gone to the spirit land,And Waban’s left all desolate and lone.”Such tales the evening hours beguiled, and filledWith breathless zest, or with blank horror chilled.

“Fully avenged, he sought the spirit bandOf his brave fathers, whilst the daughter, wonBy Waban from the cruel Pequot’s hand,Dwelt in his lodge, the mother of his son.All now are gone—gone to the spirit land,And Waban’s left all desolate and lone.”Such tales the evening hours beguiled, and filledWith breathless zest, or with blank horror chilled.

“Fully avenged, he sought the spirit bandOf his brave fathers, whilst the daughter, wonBy Waban from the cruel Pequot’s hand,Dwelt in his lodge, the mother of his son.All now are gone—gone to the spirit land,And Waban’s left all desolate and lone.”Such tales the evening hours beguiled, and filledWith breathless zest, or with blank horror chilled.

“Fully avenged, he sought the spirit band

Of his brave fathers, whilst the daughter, won

By Waban from the cruel Pequot’s hand,

Dwelt in his lodge, the mother of his son.

All now are gone—gone to the spirit land,

And Waban’s left all desolate and lone.”

Such tales the evening hours beguiled, and filled

With breathless zest, or with blank horror chilled.

LX.They slept at last, though piercing cold the night,And round them howled the hungry beasts of prey;Nor broke their slumber, till the dawning lightGleamed in the east,—when they resumed their way.Encrusted hard and flashing far and bright,The snow sent back the rising solar ray;Mooshausick’s wave was bridged from shore to shore,And safe they passed the solid water o’er.

LX.

They slept at last, though piercing cold the night,And round them howled the hungry beasts of prey;Nor broke their slumber, till the dawning lightGleamed in the east,—when they resumed their way.Encrusted hard and flashing far and bright,The snow sent back the rising solar ray;Mooshausick’s wave was bridged from shore to shore,And safe they passed the solid water o’er.

They slept at last, though piercing cold the night,And round them howled the hungry beasts of prey;Nor broke their slumber, till the dawning lightGleamed in the east,—when they resumed their way.Encrusted hard and flashing far and bright,The snow sent back the rising solar ray;Mooshausick’s wave was bridged from shore to shore,And safe they passed the solid water o’er.

They slept at last, though piercing cold the night,And round them howled the hungry beasts of prey;Nor broke their slumber, till the dawning lightGleamed in the east,—when they resumed their way.Encrusted hard and flashing far and bright,The snow sent back the rising solar ray;Mooshausick’s wave was bridged from shore to shore,And safe they passed the solid water o’er.

They slept at last, though piercing cold the night,

And round them howled the hungry beasts of prey;

Nor broke their slumber, till the dawning light

Gleamed in the east,—when they resumed their way.

Encrusted hard and flashing far and bright,

The snow sent back the rising solar ray;

Mooshausick’s wave was bridged from shore to shore,

And safe they passed the solid water o’er.

LXI.Westward till now his course did Waban draw;He shunned Weybosset, the accustomed ford,Where dwelt dark Chepian’s priest, that grim Pawaw,Who well he knew the Yengee’s faith abhorred,And who, perchance, if he our Founder sawBearing the pipe of peace, might ill accordWith such kind purpose, and, on evil wingTo Narraganset’s host strange omens bring.

LXI.

Westward till now his course did Waban draw;He shunned Weybosset, the accustomed ford,Where dwelt dark Chepian’s priest, that grim Pawaw,Who well he knew the Yengee’s faith abhorred,And who, perchance, if he our Founder sawBearing the pipe of peace, might ill accordWith such kind purpose, and, on evil wingTo Narraganset’s host strange omens bring.

Westward till now his course did Waban draw;He shunned Weybosset, the accustomed ford,Where dwelt dark Chepian’s priest, that grim Pawaw,Who well he knew the Yengee’s faith abhorred,And who, perchance, if he our Founder sawBearing the pipe of peace, might ill accordWith such kind purpose, and, on evil wingTo Narraganset’s host strange omens bring.

Westward till now his course did Waban draw;He shunned Weybosset, the accustomed ford,Where dwelt dark Chepian’s priest, that grim Pawaw,Who well he knew the Yengee’s faith abhorred,And who, perchance, if he our Founder sawBearing the pipe of peace, might ill accordWith such kind purpose, and, on evil wingTo Narraganset’s host strange omens bring.

Westward till now his course did Waban draw;

He shunned Weybosset, the accustomed ford,

Where dwelt dark Chepian’s priest, that grim Pawaw,

Who well he knew the Yengee’s faith abhorred,

And who, perchance, if he our Founder saw

Bearing the pipe of peace, might ill accord

With such kind purpose, and, on evil wing

To Narraganset’s host strange omens bring.

LXII.Now down the western bank their course they speed,Passing Pawtuxet in their onward way;And fast doth Indian town to town succeed,Some large, some small, in populous array;And here and there was many an ample mead,Where green the maize had grown in summer’s ray,And forth there poured, where’er they passed along,Of naked children many a gazing throng.

LXII.

Now down the western bank their course they speed,Passing Pawtuxet in their onward way;And fast doth Indian town to town succeed,Some large, some small, in populous array;And here and there was many an ample mead,Where green the maize had grown in summer’s ray,And forth there poured, where’er they passed along,Of naked children many a gazing throng.

Now down the western bank their course they speed,Passing Pawtuxet in their onward way;And fast doth Indian town to town succeed,Some large, some small, in populous array;And here and there was many an ample mead,Where green the maize had grown in summer’s ray,And forth there poured, where’er they passed along,Of naked children many a gazing throng.

Now down the western bank their course they speed,Passing Pawtuxet in their onward way;And fast doth Indian town to town succeed,Some large, some small, in populous array;And here and there was many an ample mead,Where green the maize had grown in summer’s ray,And forth there poured, where’er they passed along,Of naked children many a gazing throng.

Now down the western bank their course they speed,

Passing Pawtuxet in their onward way;

And fast doth Indian town to town succeed,

Some large, some small, in populous array;

And here and there was many an ample mead,

Where green the maize had grown in summer’s ray,

And forth there poured, where’er they passed along,

Of naked children many a gazing throng.

LXIII.Their small sunk eyes, like sparks from burning coal,On the white stranger stared; but when they spiedThe Wampanoag, they began to rollWith all the fury—mimicking the pride—Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul,Nursed e’en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed,Instinctively, with simultaneous swell,Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell.

LXIII.

Their small sunk eyes, like sparks from burning coal,On the white stranger stared; but when they spiedThe Wampanoag, they began to rollWith all the fury—mimicking the pride—Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul,Nursed e’en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed,Instinctively, with simultaneous swell,Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell.

Their small sunk eyes, like sparks from burning coal,On the white stranger stared; but when they spiedThe Wampanoag, they began to rollWith all the fury—mimicking the pride—Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul,Nursed e’en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed,Instinctively, with simultaneous swell,Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell.

Their small sunk eyes, like sparks from burning coal,On the white stranger stared; but when they spiedThe Wampanoag, they began to rollWith all the fury—mimicking the pride—Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul,Nursed e’en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed,Instinctively, with simultaneous swell,Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell.

Their small sunk eyes, like sparks from burning coal,

On the white stranger stared; but when they spied

The Wampanoag, they began to roll

With all the fury—mimicking the pride—

Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul,

Nursed e’en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed,

Instinctively, with simultaneous swell,

Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell.

LXIV.Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien,Their little war-clubs shook to tell their ires;Their mimic scalping-knives they brandished keen,And acted o’er the stories of their sires;And had their fathers at this moment seen(For they were gone to Potowomet’s fires),Our Founder’s guide, they might have caught the toneOf their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown.

LXIV.

Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien,Their little war-clubs shook to tell their ires;Their mimic scalping-knives they brandished keen,And acted o’er the stories of their sires;And had their fathers at this moment seen(For they were gone to Potowomet’s fires),Our Founder’s guide, they might have caught the toneOf their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown.

Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien,Their little war-clubs shook to tell their ires;Their mimic scalping-knives they brandished keen,And acted o’er the stories of their sires;And had their fathers at this moment seen(For they were gone to Potowomet’s fires),Our Founder’s guide, they might have caught the toneOf their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown.

Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien,Their little war-clubs shook to tell their ires;Their mimic scalping-knives they brandished keen,And acted o’er the stories of their sires;And had their fathers at this moment seen(For they were gone to Potowomet’s fires),Our Founder’s guide, they might have caught the toneOf their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown.

Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien,

Their little war-clubs shook to tell their ires;

Their mimic scalping-knives they brandished keen,

And acted o’er the stories of their sires;

And had their fathers at this moment seen

(For they were gone to Potowomet’s fires),

Our Founder’s guide, they might have caught the tone

Of their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown.

LXV.Still village after village smoked; the woodsAll swarmed with life as forward still they fared;For numbers great, but not for multitudesSo numberless, had Williams been prepared;Was it for him to tamper with the moodsOf these fierce savages, whose arms were bared,Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim,For the wild revelry of slaughter grim?

LXV.

Still village after village smoked; the woodsAll swarmed with life as forward still they fared;For numbers great, but not for multitudesSo numberless, had Williams been prepared;Was it for him to tamper with the moodsOf these fierce savages, whose arms were bared,Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim,For the wild revelry of slaughter grim?

Still village after village smoked; the woodsAll swarmed with life as forward still they fared;For numbers great, but not for multitudesSo numberless, had Williams been prepared;Was it for him to tamper with the moodsOf these fierce savages, whose arms were bared,Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim,For the wild revelry of slaughter grim?

Still village after village smoked; the woodsAll swarmed with life as forward still they fared;For numbers great, but not for multitudesSo numberless, had Williams been prepared;Was it for him to tamper with the moodsOf these fierce savages, whose arms were bared,Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim,For the wild revelry of slaughter grim?

Still village after village smoked; the woods

All swarmed with life as forward still they fared;

For numbers great, but not for multitudes

So numberless, had Williams been prepared;

Was it for him to tamper with the moods

Of these fierce savages, whose arms were bared,

Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim,

For the wild revelry of slaughter grim?

LXVI.How could he hope a safe abiding place,Far in these forests, and his friends so few—Among a wild and blood-besotted race,That naught of laws divine or human knew;Their wars proceeding oft from mad caprice,Their hearts as hard ’s the tomahawks they threw:—Would his temerity by Heaven be blest?Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind’s breast?

LXVI.

How could he hope a safe abiding place,Far in these forests, and his friends so few—Among a wild and blood-besotted race,That naught of laws divine or human knew;Their wars proceeding oft from mad caprice,Their hearts as hard ’s the tomahawks they threw:—Would his temerity by Heaven be blest?Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind’s breast?

How could he hope a safe abiding place,Far in these forests, and his friends so few—Among a wild and blood-besotted race,That naught of laws divine or human knew;Their wars proceeding oft from mad caprice,Their hearts as hard ’s the tomahawks they threw:—Would his temerity by Heaven be blest?Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind’s breast?

How could he hope a safe abiding place,Far in these forests, and his friends so few—Among a wild and blood-besotted race,That naught of laws divine or human knew;Their wars proceeding oft from mad caprice,Their hearts as hard ’s the tomahawks they threw:—Would his temerity by Heaven be blest?Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind’s breast?

How could he hope a safe abiding place,

Far in these forests, and his friends so few—

Among a wild and blood-besotted race,

That naught of laws divine or human knew;

Their wars proceeding oft from mad caprice,

Their hearts as hard ’s the tomahawks they threw:—

Would his temerity by Heaven be blest?

Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind’s breast?

LXVII.Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still,His soul o’ershadowed with suspicious fears,He gained the summit of a towering hill,And downward gazed.—Far stretched beneath appearsA woodland plain; and murmurs harsh and shrill,As from accordant voices, on his earsRise from the midmost groves, and o’er the trees,A hundred smokes curl on the morning breeze.

LXVII.

Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still,His soul o’ershadowed with suspicious fears,He gained the summit of a towering hill,And downward gazed.—Far stretched beneath appearsA woodland plain; and murmurs harsh and shrill,As from accordant voices, on his earsRise from the midmost groves, and o’er the trees,A hundred smokes curl on the morning breeze.

Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still,His soul o’ershadowed with suspicious fears,He gained the summit of a towering hill,And downward gazed.—Far stretched beneath appearsA woodland plain; and murmurs harsh and shrill,As from accordant voices, on his earsRise from the midmost groves, and o’er the trees,A hundred smokes curl on the morning breeze.

Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still,His soul o’ershadowed with suspicious fears,He gained the summit of a towering hill,And downward gazed.—Far stretched beneath appearsA woodland plain; and murmurs harsh and shrill,As from accordant voices, on his earsRise from the midmost groves, and o’er the trees,A hundred smokes curl on the morning breeze.

Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still,

His soul o’ershadowed with suspicious fears,

He gained the summit of a towering hill,

And downward gazed.—Far stretched beneath appears

A woodland plain; and murmurs harsh and shrill,

As from accordant voices, on his ears

Rise from the midmost groves, and o’er the trees,

A hundred smokes curl on the morning breeze.

LXVIII.And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed,Now hid where thicker branches wove their screen,Bounding and glancing, in swift circles wheeledMen painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen,And flashing clear or by the trees concealed,—Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien,—The lifted tomahawks and lances brightSeemed to forestall the frenzied joy of fight.

LXVIII.

And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed,Now hid where thicker branches wove their screen,Bounding and glancing, in swift circles wheeledMen painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen,And flashing clear or by the trees concealed,—Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien,—The lifted tomahawks and lances brightSeemed to forestall the frenzied joy of fight.

And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed,Now hid where thicker branches wove their screen,Bounding and glancing, in swift circles wheeledMen painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen,And flashing clear or by the trees concealed,—Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien,—The lifted tomahawks and lances brightSeemed to forestall the frenzied joy of fight.

And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed,Now hid where thicker branches wove their screen,Bounding and glancing, in swift circles wheeledMen painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen,And flashing clear or by the trees concealed,—Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien,—The lifted tomahawks and lances brightSeemed to forestall the frenzied joy of fight.

And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed,

Now hid where thicker branches wove their screen,

Bounding and glancing, in swift circles wheeled

Men painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen,

And flashing clear or by the trees concealed,—

Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien,—

The lifted tomahawks and lances bright

Seemed to forestall the frenzied joy of fight.

LXIX.Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet,Alternate slow and fast, the hollow drumIts measured rote or rolling numbers beat,And ruled in various mood the general hum;—Now slow the sounds, now rapid their repeat,Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling comeThat tremulous far undulating swell,From out a thousand lips, the warrior’s yell;—

LXIX.

Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet,Alternate slow and fast, the hollow drumIts measured rote or rolling numbers beat,And ruled in various mood the general hum;—Now slow the sounds, now rapid their repeat,Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling comeThat tremulous far undulating swell,From out a thousand lips, the warrior’s yell;—

Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet,Alternate slow and fast, the hollow drumIts measured rote or rolling numbers beat,And ruled in various mood the general hum;—Now slow the sounds, now rapid their repeat,Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling comeThat tremulous far undulating swell,From out a thousand lips, the warrior’s yell;—

Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet,Alternate slow and fast, the hollow drumIts measured rote or rolling numbers beat,And ruled in various mood the general hum;—Now slow the sounds, now rapid their repeat,Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling comeThat tremulous far undulating swell,From out a thousand lips, the warrior’s yell;—

Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet,

Alternate slow and fast, the hollow drum

Its measured rote or rolling numbers beat,

And ruled in various mood the general hum;—

Now slow the sounds, now rapid their repeat,

Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling come

That tremulous far undulating swell,

From out a thousand lips, the warrior’s yell;—

LXX.As ’twere from frantic demons. And the faceOf Waban paled—then darkened as he said,“The Narragansets there their war-dance trace,They count our scalps, and name our kindred dead;This heart grows big—it cannot ask for peace;’Twould rather rot upon a gory bedThan hear the spirits of its sires complain,And call for blood,—but ever call in vain.”

LXX.

As ’twere from frantic demons. And the faceOf Waban paled—then darkened as he said,“The Narragansets there their war-dance trace,They count our scalps, and name our kindred dead;This heart grows big—it cannot ask for peace;’Twould rather rot upon a gory bedThan hear the spirits of its sires complain,And call for blood,—but ever call in vain.”

As ’twere from frantic demons. And the faceOf Waban paled—then darkened as he said,“The Narragansets there their war-dance trace,They count our scalps, and name our kindred dead;This heart grows big—it cannot ask for peace;’Twould rather rot upon a gory bedThan hear the spirits of its sires complain,And call for blood,—but ever call in vain.”

As ’twere from frantic demons. And the faceOf Waban paled—then darkened as he said,“The Narragansets there their war-dance trace,They count our scalps, and name our kindred dead;This heart grows big—it cannot ask for peace;’Twould rather rot upon a gory bedThan hear the spirits of its sires complain,And call for blood,—but ever call in vain.”

As ’twere from frantic demons. And the face

Of Waban paled—then darkened as he said,

“The Narragansets there their war-dance trace,

They count our scalps, and name our kindred dead;

This heart grows big—it cannot ask for peace;

’Twould rather rot upon a gory bed

Than hear the spirits of its sires complain,

And call for blood,—but ever call in vain.”

LXXI.“Waban,” said Williams, “dost thou fear to go?Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone?How will thy Sagamore the speeches know,If homeward now his messenger should run?Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foeTo quench his fires, and quell the dance begun;But for thy safety, thou the calumetShalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.”

LXXI.

“Waban,” said Williams, “dost thou fear to go?Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone?How will thy Sagamore the speeches know,If homeward now his messenger should run?Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foeTo quench his fires, and quell the dance begun;But for thy safety, thou the calumetShalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.”

“Waban,” said Williams, “dost thou fear to go?Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone?How will thy Sagamore the speeches know,If homeward now his messenger should run?Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foeTo quench his fires, and quell the dance begun;But for thy safety, thou the calumetShalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.”

“Waban,” said Williams, “dost thou fear to go?Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone?How will thy Sagamore the speeches know,If homeward now his messenger should run?Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foeTo quench his fires, and quell the dance begun;But for thy safety, thou the calumetShalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.”

“Waban,” said Williams, “dost thou fear to go?

Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone?

How will thy Sagamore the speeches know,

If homeward now his messenger should run?

Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foe

To quench his fires, and quell the dance begun;

But for thy safety, thou the calumet

Shalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.”

LXXII.“Waban,” he answered, “never shook with fear,Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends;It is the thought of many a by-gone yearThat kindles wrath within my breast, and sendsThrough all this frame, my boiling blood on fire!—Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends,But bears no pipe;—the Wampanoag’s prideBids him to die, as his brave fathers died.”

LXXII.

“Waban,” he answered, “never shook with fear,Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends;It is the thought of many a by-gone yearThat kindles wrath within my breast, and sendsThrough all this frame, my boiling blood on fire!—Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends,But bears no pipe;—the Wampanoag’s prideBids him to die, as his brave fathers died.”

“Waban,” he answered, “never shook with fear,Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends;It is the thought of many a by-gone yearThat kindles wrath within my breast, and sendsThrough all this frame, my boiling blood on fire!—Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends,But bears no pipe;—the Wampanoag’s prideBids him to die, as his brave fathers died.”

“Waban,” he answered, “never shook with fear,Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends;It is the thought of many a by-gone yearThat kindles wrath within my breast, and sendsThrough all this frame, my boiling blood on fire!—Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends,But bears no pipe;—the Wampanoag’s prideBids him to die, as his brave fathers died.”

“Waban,” he answered, “never shook with fear,

Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends;

It is the thought of many a by-gone year

That kindles wrath within my breast, and sends

Through all this frame, my boiling blood on fire!—

Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends,

But bears no pipe;—the Wampanoag’s pride

Bids him to die, as his brave fathers died.”

LXXIII.“Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?”Said Williams gravely to his moody guide,“Its fragrant breath is as on billows oil;It calms the troubled waves of memory’s tide.”The grateful offer seemed to reconcileThe peaceful emblem to the warrior’s pride:He fills the bowl—he wakes the kindling fire—And o’er his head the curling clouds aspire.

LXXIII.

“Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?”Said Williams gravely to his moody guide,“Its fragrant breath is as on billows oil;It calms the troubled waves of memory’s tide.”The grateful offer seemed to reconcileThe peaceful emblem to the warrior’s pride:He fills the bowl—he wakes the kindling fire—And o’er his head the curling clouds aspire.

“Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?”Said Williams gravely to his moody guide,“Its fragrant breath is as on billows oil;It calms the troubled waves of memory’s tide.”The grateful offer seemed to reconcileThe peaceful emblem to the warrior’s pride:He fills the bowl—he wakes the kindling fire—And o’er his head the curling clouds aspire.

“Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?”Said Williams gravely to his moody guide,“Its fragrant breath is as on billows oil;It calms the troubled waves of memory’s tide.”The grateful offer seemed to reconcileThe peaceful emblem to the warrior’s pride:He fills the bowl—he wakes the kindling fire—And o’er his head the curling clouds aspire.

“Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?”

Said Williams gravely to his moody guide,

“Its fragrant breath is as on billows oil;

It calms the troubled waves of memory’s tide.”

The grateful offer seemed to reconcile

The peaceful emblem to the warrior’s pride:

He fills the bowl—he wakes the kindling fire—

And o’er his head the curling clouds aspire.

LXXIV.And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will stringHer rustic harp to wake no gentle strainOf barbarous camps, and savage chiefs who singThe song of vengeance to their raptured train;Of councils, and of wizard priests that bringStrange omens, dark dominion to maintain;Of incantations dire, and of that spellBy Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell.

LXXIV.

And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will stringHer rustic harp to wake no gentle strainOf barbarous camps, and savage chiefs who singThe song of vengeance to their raptured train;Of councils, and of wizard priests that bringStrange omens, dark dominion to maintain;Of incantations dire, and of that spellBy Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell.

And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will stringHer rustic harp to wake no gentle strainOf barbarous camps, and savage chiefs who singThe song of vengeance to their raptured train;Of councils, and of wizard priests that bringStrange omens, dark dominion to maintain;Of incantations dire, and of that spellBy Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell.

And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will stringHer rustic harp to wake no gentle strainOf barbarous camps, and savage chiefs who singThe song of vengeance to their raptured train;Of councils, and of wizard priests that bringStrange omens, dark dominion to maintain;Of incantations dire, and of that spellBy Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell.

And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will string

Her rustic harp to wake no gentle strain

Of barbarous camps, and savage chiefs who sing

The song of vengeance to their raptured train;

Of councils, and of wizard priests that bring

Strange omens, dark dominion to maintain;

Of incantations dire, and of that spell

By Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell.


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