The breakers were right beneath her bows, And a whooping billow swept the crew She struck where the white and fleecy waves But the cruel rocks, they gored her side, Her rattling shrouds, all sheathed in ice, At daybreak on the bleak sea-beach, The salt sea was frozen on her breast, And he saw her hair like the brown sea-weed, Such was the wreck of Hesperus, On the reef of Norman's Woe! LONGFELLOW. THE CAPTAIN'S CHILD. A GOOD thing is it to obey Of such an one, to you, my friends, A truthful and a touching tale,- There was a child whose early home The waters sung his lullaby, He was the Captain's only child, He would not to her kindred send And so the little boy grew up, A dweller on the sea : For feats of horsemanship, he learn'd To climb the tall mast tree. The song of birds at early morn It was not his to hear; But the ocean breeze, that swept the seas, Was music in his ear. Yet was the ship a rugged school For one so fair and young; And harshly in his hearing oft His father's accents rung. For dearly as he lov'd the boy, Yet Harry was a merry boy, And blithely with a ship boy's skill, Oh, but the sailors lov'd him well; With memories of their childish days, All household loves on him were shower'd And so the Captain's child became Now of a monkey I must tell, The sailors' pet, and Harry's plague, A grinning, chattering plague it was, He clutch'd his cap from Harry's head, Up in the rigging with his prize, Now here, now there, it dodg'd about, "Hollo! hollo!" the boy exclaim'd, 66 Such manners suit not me, Come, Master Jacko, I must teach Civility to thee." At first it was a merry chase, The eager boy, without a thought Of danger or of dread, Had reach'd at length the top-most pole, Where scarce was room to tread. G Where none could turn,, and none could bend, He stood in dizzy trance, Beyond the reach of others' help, Nor dared the downward glance. Breathless with fear, the crew look'd up, "What is the matter now, my men? Pale with his agony, the boy But not a nerve or muscle yet With quivering anguish shook,— "Bring me my fowling piece," he said, And steadfast aim he took. Then stern, and loud, and trumpet-clear, He cried," Attend to me! This moment, sir, I fire, unless You jump into the sea." |