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Fathers of the Oratory,
List to my surprising tale,
Hearken to a wondrous story
More than very ‘like a whale
Each mesmeric marvel-monger,
Lend to me your ears likewise;
If for miracles you hunger,
You shall ope both mouth and eyes.
In the ship Ann Alexander,
Cruising in pursuit of whales,
Bold John S. Deblois, Commander,
With a crew so gallant, *ails.
In the South Pacific Ocean,
Reaching to the Off Shore Ground,
’Mong the waves in wild commotion,
Several monstrous Whales they found.
These two boats did follow after,
Larboard boat, and starboard too,
And with shouts of glee and laughter,
The Leviathans pursue ;
When the larboard boat, commanded
By the stout First Mate, did soon
In a Whale, with force strong-handed,
Deeply plunge a sharp harpoon.
Off the mighty monster started ;
Pain and anguish gave him cause;
Suddenly he backwards darted,
Seized the boat between his jaws j
Into smithereens he cracked it ;
Or, as witnesses declare,
Who beheld the thing transacted,
Bits no bigger than a chair !
In the starboard boat, the Captain
Quickly to the rescue struck,
And, although the bark was snapt in
Pieces, saved the crew—by luck.
Now the good Ann Alexander
To their aid the waist boat sent j
Half the band then having manned her,
At the Whale again they went.
Soon the ocean-giant nearing,
They prepared to give him fight,
Little thinking, never fearing,
That the beast again would bite.
But without their host they reckon’d ;
At their boat he also flew;
Like the first he served the second,
Snapped it into pieces too.
Sure his jaws, together clapping,
Had the gallant seamen crush’d ;
But, when they perceived him snapping,
Straight into the sea they rushed.
SOUTHERN LITERARY GAZETTE.
THE WONDERFUL WHALERS.
[From “Punch.”]
To afford the help they needed,
Bold Deblois repaired again ;
Once more, also, he succeeded
In the aim to save his men.
Tired, perhaps, of sport renewing,
To their ship this time they hied,
When, behold,the Whale pursuing,
With his jaws extended wide.
Gloating with revenge, he sought ’em ;
But with blubber pierced, and gored,
He was crippled, or had caught ’em ;
But they all got safe on board.
Risk the heroes little cared for ;
Speedily they set their sail
In the ship herself—prepared for
One more tussle with the Whale.
Now they reach’d him—plunged a lance in
The infuriate monster’s head ;
Then—of course they had no chance in
Close encounter—onward sped.
For the ship they saw him making,
But the chase he soon gave o’er,
Which the animal forsaking,
Down on him again they bore;
Fifty rods below the water
There they saw the monster lie ;
So, despairing him to slaughter,
They resolved no more to try.
At this time, Deblois was standing
Sternly on the larboard bow,
Ready, with harpoon his hand in,
To inflict a deadly blow :
Up he saw the monster rising,
With velocity and power,
.At the rate of speed surprising,
Os full fifteen knots an hour 1
In an instant—Heaven defend us !
Lo, the Whale had, near the keel
Struck, with such a force tremendous,
r I hat it made the vessel reel ;
And her bottom knock’d a hole in,
Into which the water pour’d;
And the sea so fierce did roll in,
That the billows rush’d and roar’d !
Yet the ship was saved from sinking,
Though so riddled by the Whale,
And Deblois and his unshrinking
Crew, survive to tell the tale.
Strong are all those daring fellows,
Doubtless, the harpoon to throw :
And—to judge from what they tell us—
Stronger still to draw the bow !
** The readers of the Gazette will wel
come the following poem, not only for i ts
own merit’s sake, but for the sake of the au
thor, who is, doubtless, remembered by them
all with interest and regard. We quote it
from that excellent Miscellany Parker's
Journal.
DREA M—LOVE.
BY D. H. JACQUES.
’Tis a morning in the May-time;
Blue-birds sing in field and grove
And the red-breast in the orchard,’
Fondly warbles forth his love:
Nature seems anew creation,
Earth and sky laugh out in glee ;
And my ardent heart grows younger—
Beating calmly strong and free.
Wild-wood paths have lured me onward,
To a sylvan arbour fair—
Draped with virgthal clematis,
Roofed with birch and hazel rare,
Whose soft floor of moss and grasses,
Chequered is with shade and sheen—
Golden sunlight falling on it,
Sifted through the ceiling green.
Earth to me seems near to heaven,
For the maiden of my choice
Sits beside me on the mosses,
And the music of her voice—
Voice which whispers low, “Ilove thee.”
(Sweeter words can angels hear ?)
Makes me deaf to songs of thrushes,
Gushing from the thickets near.
Sitting gazing on each other,
Claspdd are our hands the while,
And her finger’s pressure thrills me,
Basking warmly in her smile ;
And the eyes which I look into—
Deep as Love’s unfathomed sea,
Mirror in the orbs of beauty,
Noihing but the skies and me.
I for words am far too happy—
Language mocks my feelings’ need,
But my heart , 0 ! how it thanks her
Who deserveth richer meed ;
And I call her Consuelo * —
Turning deepest grief to joy,
And my Beatrice^ —blessing ever
With a bliss beyond alloy.
She has now from incompleteness,
What were else a wasted life,
Satisfied my being’s longings,
Crowned with peace my years of strife,
Made me good, and strong, and valiant —
Almost worthy e’en of her , —
Well may feelings spurning language,
In my heaving bosom stir.
O ! thou arbour in the woodland,
Blessings on each leaf of thine !
Blessings more on thee, my Amie !\
(O ! the joy to call thee mine !)
And thou world, so cold and selfish,
Vain thy frown, or laugh, or sneer—
Thy temptations—l defy them,
With my guardian angel near !
******
Dream I? Was it but a vision,
Which some angel passing by,
Threw beneath my closed eyelids,
Shut to sights of earth and sky ?
Yes, a dream of Love and Beauty,
Sent to mock me with its gleam,
And I’ve counted true and real,
Things which only falsely seem.
* Consuelo, Consolation.
t Beatrice, One who blesses.
t Amie, Beloved.
[Jan. lo