We Sailed On
The 24th Of November, And After A Short But Tempestuous Voyage
Arrived At Falmouth On The 22nd Of December, From Whence I
Immediately Set Out For London; Having Been Absent From England Two
Years And Seven Months.
NOTE
The following passage from James Montgomery's poem, "The West
Indies," published in 1810, was inspired by "Mungo Park's
Travels in
the Interior of Africa." It enshrines in English verse the
beautiful incident of the negro woman's song of "Charity" (on page
190 of the first of these two volumes), and closes with the poet's
blessing upon Mungo Park himself, who had sailed five years before
upon the second journey, from which he had not returned, and whose
fate did not become known until five years later.
Man, through all ages of revolving time,
Unchanging man, in every varying clime,
Deems his own land of every land the pride,
Beloved by Heaven o'er all the world beside;
His home the spot of earth supremely blest,
A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest.
And is the Negro outlawed from his birth?
Is he alone a stranger on the earth?
Is there no shed whose peeping roof appears
So lovely that it fills his eyes with tears?
No land, whose name, in exile heard, will dart
Ice through his veins and lightning through his heart?
Ah! yes; beneath the beams of brighter skies
His home amidst his father's country lies;
There with the partner of his soul he shares
Love-mingled pleasures, love-divided cares;
There, as with nature's warmest filial fire,
He soothes his blind and feeds his helpless sire;
His children, sporting round his hut, behold
How they shall cherish him when he is old,
Trained by example from their tenderest youth
To deeds of charity and words of truth.
Is HE not blest?
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