982 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805, 



THE LAKE-FIGHT. 



EROM THE SAME. 



THE mariners, meantime, atRirid's will, 

 Unreeve the rigging, and the masts they strike ; 

 And now ashore they haul the lightened hulks, 

 Tear up the deck, the severed planks bear off, 

 Disjoin the well-scarfed timbers, and the keel 

 Loosen asunder ; then to the lake-side 

 Bear the materials, where the ocean lord 

 ilimself directs their work. Twelve vessels there, 

 Fitted alike to catch the wind, or sweep 

 With oars the moveless surface, they prepare ; 

 Lay down the keel, the stern-post rear, and fix 

 The strong-curved timbers. Others from the wood 

 Bring the tall pines, and from their hissing trunks 

 Force,- by the aid of fire, the needful gum ; 

 Beneath the close-caulked planks its odorous streara 

 They pour ; then, last, the round-projecting prows 

 With iron ami, and launch, in uproar loud 

 Of joy, anticipating victories, 



The gallics, long and sharp. The masts are reared, 

 The sails are bent, and lo ! the ready barks 

 Lie on the lake. 



It chanced, the Hoamen found 

 A spy of Aztlan, and before the prince 

 They led him. Cut when Madoc bade him tell, 

 As his life-ransom, what his nation's force, 

 And what their plans ; the savage answered him, 

 With dark and sullen eye, and smile of wrath, 

 If aught the knowledge of my country's force 

 Could profit thee, be sure, ere 1 would let 

 My tongue play traitor, thou shouldst limb from limb 

 Hew me, and make each separate member feel 

 A separate agony of death. O prince ! 

 But 1 will tell ye of my nation's force, 

 That ye may know, and tremble at your doom ; 

 That fear may half subdue yc to the sword 

 Of vengeance. . . Can ye count the stars of heaven ? 

 The waves which ruffle o'er the lake ? the leaves 

 Swept from the autumnal forest? Can ye look 

 Upon the eternal snows of yonder height. 

 And number each piirticular flake that formed 

 The mountain mass ? . . so numberless they come, 

 Whoe'er can wield the sword, or hurl the lance. 

 Or aim the arrow ; from the growing boy, 

 Ambitious of the battle, to the old man, 

 Who to rovenge his country aod his Gods 



Hastii)!;. 



