282 DESTRUCTION OF THE EGYPTIANS. 



dependence, at all times ready to reject the pen and the ploughshare for 

 the sword and war steed." 



Our limits, however, draw to a close j for the present we must con- 

 tent ourselves with a reference to the volume whence these facts and 

 opinions emanate; and we cannot better enable the Christian, the mer- 

 chant, and the statesman to appreciate the vast magnitude, and incal- 

 culable importance of the British Colonies in Asia than by the sum- 

 ming up of Mr. Martin, who has spent one-third of a not inactive life, 

 investigating their resources and advantages to the parent country, 

 who has been rather an indifferent step-mother to them hitherto. 

 May we hope, however, that the truly eloquent appeal made by the 

 author in the tenth chapter of the volume will not be in vain ! 



THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EGYPTIANS. 



BY JOHN GALT, ESQ. 



t 4 Sing ye to THE LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously ! The horse and 

 his rider hath he cast into the red sea ! " SONG or MIRIAM. 



TH* obedient sea was aw'd and parting furl'd 

 On either hand the scope of all his waves, 

 'Till to the gravel bar'd his shelly bed 

 Wondrous escape affords, which at the dawn 

 Th' affrighted Hebrews gladly seizing, rush 

 In crowds precipitate down the steep banks, 

 And eager pressing to the adverse shore 

 Tread on the hoarded treasures of the sea, 

 And heedless o'er this great Museum pass. 

 Meanwhile all day the Egyptian host behind 

 With vehemence advanced. 



Night was on high 



In silv'ry splendour reign'd the queen of stars 

 O'er the clear firmament. When Pharaoh reach'd 

 The ebbed shore, surpris'd he stood, aghast, 

 And ey'd the tangled way trench'd through the waves 

 That shone in moonlight silentness. But soon 

 His ire rekindling ground his crested head 

 He flash'd his scimitar, and fiercely spurn'd 

 His haughty steed into the fatal deep, 

 Commanding all to follow. Down they drove, 

 Horses and chariots ! harshly rose the noise 

 Of groaning wheels that on hot axles toild, 

 Loud-sounding hoofs, and the hoarse blasphemies 

 Of soldiers labouring in the ocean-sand. 

 When far into the midway of the deep 

 The army had in safety pass'd GOD bade 

 His winds fly forth and straight the placid sea 

 Heav'd in commotion from his vast abyss 

 Devour'd th' Egyptian armies utterly ! 

 Not one escap'd and when the morning light 

 GHtter'd along the sandy wilderness, 

 The weaned Hebrews resting on the shore 

 Saw cars and horses on the billows toss'd, 

 And on the strand the drown'd Egyptians strew'd. 



