Roughing It In The Bush, By Susanna Moodie











































































































































 - 

  Sail on! - sail on! - No mortal hand
    Directs that vessel's blazing course;
  The vengeance of an injured land
    Impels her - Page 269
Roughing It In The Bush, By Susanna Moodie - Page 269 of 349 - First - Home

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Sail On!

- Sail on!

- No mortal hand Directs that vessel's blazing course; The vengeance of an injured land Impels her with resistless force 'Midst breaking wave and fiery gleam, O'er-canopied with clouds of smoke; Midway she stems the raging stream, And feels the rapids' thundering stroke; Now buried deep, now whirl'd on high, She struggles with her awful doom, - With frantic speed now hurries by To find a watery tomb.

Lo, poised upon the topmost surge, She shudders o'er the dark abyss; The foaming waters round her hiss And hoarse waves ring her funeral dirge; The chafing billows round her close; But ere her burning planks are riven, Shoots up one ruddy spout of fire, - Her last farewell to earth and heaven. Down, down to endless night she goes! So may the traitor's hope expire, So perish all our country's foes!

Destruction's blazing star Has vanish'd from our sight; The thunderbolt of war Is quench'd in endless night; Nor sight, nor sound of fear Startles the listening ear; Naught but the torrent's roar, The dull, deep, heavy sound, From out the dark profound, Echoes from shore to shore. Where late the cry of blood Rang on the midnight air, The mournful lapsing of the flood, The wild winds in the lonely wood, Claim sole dominion there.

To thee, high-hearted Drew! And thy victorious band Of heroes tried and true A nation's thanks are due. Defender of an injured land! Well hast thou taught the dastard foe That British honour never yields To democratic influence, low, The glory of a thousand fields.

Justice to traitors, long delay'd, This night was boldly dealt by thee; The debt of vengeance thou hast paid, And may the deed immortal be. Thy outraged country shall bestow A lasting monument of fame, The highest meed of praise below - A British patriot's deathless name!

CHAPTER XXIV

THE WHIRLWIND

[For the poem that heads this chapter, I am indebted to my brother, Mr. Strickland, of Douro, C.W.]

Dark, heavy clouds were gathering in the west, Wrapping the forest in funereal gloom; Onward they roll'd, and rear'd each livid crest, Like Death's murk shadows frowning o'er earth's tomb. From out the inky womb of that deep night Burst livid flashes of electric flame. Whirling and circling with terrific might, In wild confusion on the tempest came. Nature, awakening from her still repose, Shudders responsive to the whirlwind's shock, Feels at her might heart convulsive throes, And all her groaning forests to earth's bosom rock.

But hark! - What means that hollow, rushing sound, That breaks the death-like stillness of the morn? Red forked lightnings fiercely glare around, Sharp, crashing thunders on the winds are borne, And see yon spiral column, black as night, Rearing triumphantly its wreathing form; Ruin's abroad, and through the murky light - Drear desolation marks the spirit of the storm.

S.S.

The 19th of August came, and our little harvest was all safely housed. Business called Moodie away for a few days to Cobourg. Jenny had gone to Dummer, to visit her friends, and J. E - - had taken a grist of the new wheat, which he and Moodie had threshed the day before, to the mill.

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