The Columbiad: A Poem Part 13

What grateless dungeons groan beneath the ground!

See the black Prison Ship's expanding womb Impested thousands, quick and dead, entomb.

Barks after barks the captured seamen bear, Transboard and lodge thy silent victims there; A hundred scows, from all the neighboring sh.o.r.e, Spread the dull sail and ply the constant oar, Waft wrecks of armies from the well fought field, And famisht garrisons who bravely yield; They mount the hulk, and, cramm'd within the cave, Hail their last house, their living, floating grave.

She comes, the Fiend! her grinning jaws expand, Her brazen eyes cast lightning o'er the strand, Her wings like thunder-clouds the welkin sweep, Brush the tall spires and shade the shuddering deep; She gains the deck, displays her wonted store, Her cords and scourges wet with prisoners' gore; Gripes, pincers, thumb-screws spread beneath her feet, Slow poisonous drugs and loads of putrid meat; Disease hangs drizzling from her slimy locks, And hot contagion issues from her box.

O'er the closed hatches ere she takes her place, She moves the ma.s.sy planks a little s.p.a.ce, Opes a small pa.s.sage to the cries below, That feast her soul on messages of woe; There sits with gaping ear and changeless eye, Drinks every groan and treasures every sigh, Sustains the faint, their miseries to prolong, Revives the dying and unnerves the strong.

But as the infected ma.s.s resign their breath.

She keeps with joy the register of death.

As tost thro portholes from the enc.u.mber'd cave, Corpse after corpse fall dashing in the wave; Corpse after corpse, for days and months and years, The tide bears off, and still its current clears; At last, o'erloaded with the putrid gore, The slime-clad waters thicken round the sh.o.r.e.

Green Ocean's self, that oft his wave renews, That drinks whole fleets with all their battling crews, That laves, that purifies the earth and sky, Yet ne'er before resign'd his natural dye, Here purples, blushes for the race he bore To rob and ravage this unconquer'd sh.o.r.e; The scaly nations, as they travel by, Catch the contagion, sicken, gasp and die.

Now Hesper turns the Hero's tearful eye To other fields where other standards fly; For here constrain'd new warfare to disclose, And show the feats of more than mortal foes, Where interposing with celestial might, His own dread labors must decide the fight, He bids the scene with pomp unusual rise, To teach Columbus how to read the skies.

He marks the trace of Howe's triumphant course, And wheels o'er Jersey plains his gathering force; Where dauntless Washington, begirt with foes, Still greater rises as the danger grows, And wearied troops, o'er kindred warriors slain, Attend his march thro many a sanguine plain.

From Hudson's bank to Trenton's wintry strand, He guards in firm retreat his feeble band; Britons by thousands on his flanks advance, Bend o'er his rear and point the lifted lance.

Past Delaware's frozen stream, with scanty force, He checks retreat; then turning back his course, Remounts the wave, and thro the mingled roar Of ice and storm reseeks the hostile sh.o.r.e, Wrapt in the gloom of night. The offended Flood Starts from his cave, a.s.sumes the indignant G.o.d, Rears thro the parting tide his foamy form, And with his fiery eyeb.a.l.l.s lights the storm.

He stares around him on the host he heard, Clears his choked urn and smooths his icy beard, And thus: Audacious chief, this troubled wave Tempt not; or tempting, here shall gape thy grave.

Is nothing sacred to thy venturous might?

The howling storm, the holy truce of night, High tossing ice-isles crashing round thy side, Insidious rocks that pierce the tumbling tide?

Fear then this forceful arm, and hear once more, Death stands between thee and that shelvy sh.o.r.e.

The chief beholds the G.o.d, and notes his cry, But onward drives, nor pauses to reply; Calls to each bark, and spirits every host To toil, gain, tempt the interdicted coast.

The crews, regardless of the doubling roar, Breast the strong helm, and wrestle with the oar, Stem with resurgent prow the struggling spray, And with phosphoric lanterns shape their way.

The G.o.d perceived his warning words were vain, And rose more furious to a.s.sert his reign, Lash'd up a loftier surge, and heaved on high A ridge of billows that obstruct the sky; And, as the acc.u.mulated ma.s.s he rolls, Bares the sharp rocks and lifts the gaping shoals.

Forward the fearless barges plunge and bound, Top the curl'd wave, or grind the flinty ground, Careen, whirl, right, and sidelong dasht and tost, Now seem to reach and now to lose the coast.

Still unsubdued the sea-drench'd army toils, Each buoyant skiff the flouncing G.o.dhead foils; He raves and roars, and in delirious woe Calls to his aid his ancient h.o.a.ry foe, Almighty Frost; when thus the vanquish'd Flood Bespeaks in haste the great earth-rending G.o.d: Father of storms! behold this mortal race Confound my force and brave me to my face.

Not all my waves by all my tempests driven, Nor black night brooding o'er the starless heaven, Can check their course; they toss and plunge amain, And lo, my guardian rocks project their points in vain.

Come to my help, and with thy stiffening breath Clog their strain'd helms, distend their limbs indeath.

Tho ancient enmity our realms divide, And oft thy chains arrest my laboring tide, Let strong necessity our cause combine, Thy own disgrace antic.i.p.ate in mine; Even now their oars thy sleet in vain congeals, Thy crumbling ice-cakes crash beneath their keels; Their impious arms already cope with ours, And mortal man defies immortal Powers.

Roused at the call, the Monarch mounts the storm; In muriat flakes he robes his nitrous form, Glares thro the compound, all its blast inhales, And seas turn crystal where he breathes his gales.

He comes careering o'er his bleak domain, But comes untended by his usual train; Hail, sleet and snow-rack far behind him fly, Too weak to wade thro this petrific sky, Whose air consolidates and cuts and stings, And shakes h.o.a.r tinsel from its flickering wings.

Earth heaves and cracks beneath the alighting G.o.d; He gains the pa.s.s, bestrides the roaring flood, Shoots from his nostrils one wide withering sheet Of treasured meteors on the struggling fleet; The waves conglaciate instant, fix in air, Stand like a ridge of rocks, and shiver there.

The barks, confounded in their headlong surge, Or wedged in crystal, cease their oars to urge; Some with p.r.o.ne prow, as plunging down the deep, And some remounting o'er the slippery steep Seem laboring still, but moveless, lifeless all; And the chill'd army here awaits its fall.

But Hesper, guardian of Hesperia's right, From his far heaven looks thro the rayless night; And, stung to vengeance at the unequal strife, To save her host, in jeopardy of life, Starts from his throne, ascends his flamy car.

And turns tremendous to the field of war.

His wheels, resurging from the depth of even, Roll back the night, streak wide the startled heaven, Regain their easting with reverted gyres, And stud their path with scintillating fires.

He cleaves the clouds; and, swift as beams of day, O'er California sweeps his splendid way; Missouri's mountains at his pa.s.sage nod, And now sad Delaware feels the present G.o.d, And trembles at his tread. For here to fight Rush two dread Powers of such unmeasured might, As threats to annihilate his doubtful reign, Convulse the heaven and mingle earth and main.

Frost views his brilliant foe with scornful eye, And whirls a tenfold tempest thro the sky; Where each fine atom of the immense of air, Steel'd, pointed, barb'd for unexampled war, Sings o'er the shuddering ground; when thus he broke Contemptuous silence, and to Hesper spoke: Thou comest in time to share their last disgrace, To change to crystal with thy rebel race, Stretch thy huge corse o'er Delaware's bank afar, And learn the force of elemental war.

Or if undying life thy lamp inspire, Take that one blast and to thy sky retire; There, roll'd eternal round the heavens, proclaim Thy own disaster and my deathless fame.

I come, said Hesper, not to insult the brave, But break thy sceptre and let loose my wave, Teach the proud Stream more peaceful tides to roll, And send thee howling to thy stormy pole; That drear dominion shall thy rage confine; This land, these waters and those troops are mine.

He added not; and now the sable storm, Pierced by strong splendor, burst before his form; His visage stern an awful l.u.s.tre shed, His pearly planet play'd around his head.

He seized a lofty pine, whose roots of yore Struck deep in earth, to guard the sandy sh.o.r.e From hostile ravage of the mining tide, That rakes with spoils of earth its crumbling side.

He wrencht it from the soil, and o'er the foe Whirl'd the strong trunk, and aim'd a sweeping blow, That sung thro air, but miss'd the moving G.o.d, And fell wide crashing on the frozen flood.

For many a rood the shivering ice it tore, Loosed every bark and shook the sounding sh.o.r.e; Stroke after stroke with doubling force he plied, Foil'd the h.o.a.r Fiend and pulverized the tide.

The baffled tyrant quits the desperate cause; From Hesper's heat the river swells and thaws, The fleet rolls gently to the Jersey coast, And morning splendors greet the landing host.

Tis here dread Washington, when first the day O'er Trenton beam'd to light his rapid way, Pour'd the rude shock on Britain's vanguard train, And led whole squadrons in his captive chain; Where veteran troops to half their numbers yield, Tread back their steps, or press the sanguine field, To Princeton plains precipitate their flight, Thro new disasters and unfinish'd fight, Resign their conquests by one sad surprise, Sink in their pride and see their rivals rise.

Here dawn'd the daystar of Hesperia's fame, Here herald glory first emblazed her name; On Delaware's bank her base of empire stands, The work of Washington's immortal hands; Prompt at his side while gallant Mercer trod, And seal'd the firm foundation with his blood.

In future years, if right the Muse divine, Some great memorial on this bank shall shine; A column bold its granite shaft shall rear, Swell o'er the strand and check the pa.s.sing air, Cast its broad image on the watery glade, And Bristol greet the monumental shade; Eternal emblem of that gloomy hour, When the great general left her storm-beat sh.o.r.e, To tempest, night and his own sword consign'd His country's fates, the fortunes of mankind.

Where sealike Laurence, rolling in his pride, With Ocean's self disputes the tossing tide, From sh.o.r.e to sh.o.r.e, thro dim distending skies, Beneath full sails imbanded nations rise.

Britain and Brunswick here their flags unfold, Here Hessia's hordes, for toils of slaughter sold, Ans.p.a.ch and Darmstadt swell the hireling train, Proud Caledonia crowds the masted main, Hibernian kerns and Hanoverian slaves Move o'er the decks and darken wide the waves.

Tall on the boldest bark superior shone A warrior ensign'd with a various crown; Myrtles and laurels equal honors join'd, Which arms had purchased and the Muses twined; His sword waved forward, and his ardent eye Seem'd sharing empires in the southern sky.

Beside him rose a herald to proclaim His various honors, t.i.tles, feats and fame; Who raised an opening scroll, where proudly shone _Burgoyne and vengeance from the British throne._

Champlain receives the congregated host, And his husht waves beneath the sails are lost; Ticonderoga rears his rocks in vain, Nor Edward's walls the weighty shock sustain; Deep George's loaded lake reluctant guides Their bounding barges o'er his sacred tides.

State after state the splendid pomp appalls, Each town surrenders, every fortress falls; Sinclair retires; and with his feeble train, In slow retreat o'er many a fatal plain, Allures their march; wide moves their furious force, And flaming hamlets mark their wasting course; Thro fortless realms their spreading ranks are wheel'd, On Mohawk's wrestern wave, on Bennington's dread field.

At last where Hudson, with majestic pace, Swells at the sight, and checks his rapid race, Thro dark Stillwater slow and silent moves, And flying troops with sullen pause reproves, A few firm bands their starry standard rear, Wheel, front and face the desolating war.

Sudden the patriot flame each province warms, Deep danger calls, the freemen quit their farms, Seize their tried muskets, name their chiefs to lead, Endorse their knapsacks and to vengeance speed.

O'er all the land the kindling ardor flies, Troop follows troop, and flags on flags arise, Concentred, train'd, their forming files unite, Swell into squadrons and demand the fight.

When Xerxes, raving at his sire's disgrace, Pour'd his dark millions on the coast of Thrace, O'er groaning h.e.l.lespont his broad bridge hurl'd, Hew'd ponderous Athos from the trembling world, Still'd with his weight of ships the struggling main, And bound the billows in his boasted chain, Wide o'er proud Macedon he wheel'd his course, Thrace, Thebes, Thessalia join'd his furious force.

Thro six torn states his hovering swarms increase, And hang tremendous on the skirts of Greece; Deep groan the shrines of all her guardian G.o.ds, Sad Pelion shakes, divine Olympus nods, Shock'd Ossa sheds his hundred hills of snow, And Tempe swells her murmuring brook below; Wild in her starts of rage the Pythian shrieks, Dodona's Oak the pangs of nature speaks, Eleusis quakes thro all her mystic caves, And black Trophonius gapes a thousand graves.

But soon the freeborn Greeks to vengeance rise, Brave Sparta springs where first the danger lies, Her self-devoted Band, in one steel'd ma.s.s, Plunge in the gorge of death, and choke the Pa.s.s, Athenian youths, the unwieldy war to meet, Couch the stiff lance, or mount the well arm'd fleet; They sweep the inc.u.mber'd seas of their vast load, And fat their fields with lakes of Asian blood.

So leapt our youths to meet the invading hordes, Fame fired their courage, freedom edged their swords.

Gates in their van on high-hill'd Bemus rose, Waved his blue steel and dared the headlong foes; Undaunted Lincoln, laboring on his right, Urged every arm, and gave them hearts to fight; Starke, at the dexter flank, the onset claims, Indignant Herkimer the left inflames; He bounds exulting to commence the strife.

And buy the victory with his barter'd life.

And why, sweet Minstrel, from the harp of fame Withhold so long that once resounding name?

The chief who, steering by the boreal star, O'er wild Canadia led our infant war, In desperate straits superior powers display'd, Burgoyne's dread scourge, Montgomery's ablest aid; Ridgefield and Compo saw his valorous might With ill-arm'd swains put veteran troops to flight.

Tho treason foul hath since absorb'd his soul, Bade waves of dark oblivion round him roll, Sunk his proud heart abhorrent and abhorr'd, Effaced his memory and defiled his sword; Yet then untarnisht roll'd his conquering car; Then famed and foremost in the ranks of war Brave Arnold trod; high valor warm'd his breast, And beams of glory play'd around his crest.

Here toils the chief; whole armies from his eye Resume their souls, and swift to combat fly.

Camp'd on a hundred hills, and trench'd in form, Burgoyne's long legions view the gathering storm; Uncounted nations round their general stand, And wait the signal from his guiding hand.

Canadia crowds her Gallic colons there, Ontario's yelling tribes torment the air, Wild Huron sends his lurking hordes from far, Insidious Mohawk swells the woodland war; Scalpers and ax-men rush from Erie's sh.o.r.e, And Iroquois augments the war whoop roar; While all his ancient troops his train supply, Half Europe's banners waving thro the sky; Deep squadron'd horse support his endless flanks, And park'd artillery frowns behind the ranks.

Flush'd with the conquest of a thousand fields, And rich with spoils that all the region yields, They burn with zeal to close the long campaign, And crush Columbia on this final plain.

His fellow chiefs inhale the hero's flame, Nerves of his arm and partners in his fame: Phillips, with treasured thunders poised and wheel'd In brazen tubes, prepares to rake the field; The trench-tops darken with the sable rows, And, tipt with fire, the waving match-rope glows.

There gallant Reidesel in German guise, And Specht and Breyman, prompt for action, rise; His savage hordes the murderous Johnson leads, Files thro the woods and treads the tangled weeds, Shuns open combat, teaches where to run, Skulk, couch the ambush, aim the hunter's gun, Whirl the sly tomahawk, the war whoop sing, Divide the spoils and pack the scalps they bring.

Frazer in quest of glory seeks the field;-- False glare of glory, what hast thou to yield?

How long, deluding phantom, wilt thou blind, Mislead, debase, unhumanize mankind?

Bid the bold youth, his headlong sword who draws, Heed not the object, nor inquire the cause; But seek adventuring, like an errant knight, Wars not his own, gratuitous in fight, Greet the gored field, then plunging thro the fire, Mow down his men, with stupid pride expire, Shed from his closing eyes the finish'd flame, And ask, for all his crimes, a deathless name?

And when shall solid glory, pure and bright, Alone inspire us, and our deeds requite?