34.8 The Battle of the Nile. [April, 



Tlie pallid beams around were thrown, 

 And pale on Ocean's bosom shone. 



Amid the dreadful fray : 

 The awful blaze in splendid light 

 Chased far away the shades of Night, 



And gave a transient day. 



The conflict in the van grew slack. 



And as the smoke decay'd, 

 The proud old Britisb Union-Jack 



Aloft was seen display'd. 

 In graceful eddies unconfined, 

 Floating, triumphant on the wind. 



Above the Gallic flag. 



While scatter'd on the sea-beat strand. 



With pensive look and mien, 

 Astounded stood the martial band, 



To view the rueful scene : 

 That fleet, which late in vaunting pride, 

 Convey'd them o'er the faithless tide, 



They saw, was now no more ! 



But while, amid contending strife. 



The whirling blaze in sport grew rife. 



The hostile chiefs with care await 



The coming of her awful fate. 



Her crew, on whom the wan beams glowed. 



Seemed spectres haunting fiends abode, 



Or ghosts from hell broke loose ! 

 To shun worse doom, from stern and prow. 

 They plunged among the waves below, • 

 And trusted to their gen'rous foe. 



From death their last resource. 



When suddenly a crashing sound 

 Burst forth, that deafened all around — 



As Satan, with some daran'd intent. 

 With steam o'ercharging hell's deep cave. 

 Had burst through Ocean's troubled wave. 



And high the shivcr'd U Orient sent, 



In fragments through the air ! 



Terrific darkness veil'd th' event. 



Death-silence reign'd 



##****■ 

 It seem'd, the change from light to gloom, 

 As earth had sunk within her tomb — 

 The battle's rage was heard no more — 

 The light was gone — the thunder o'er. 



It was so dark, so still, so dead. 

 You might have heard the lightest tread ; 

 It seem'd as though that blast from hell 

 Had usher'd in a magic spell, 

 And Silence' self stood sentinel. 



