1> O E T R Y. 983 



Hastens, and then to die. By land they come ; 

 And years must pass away ere on their path 

 The grass again will grow : they come by lake ; 

 And ye shall see the shoals of their canoes 

 Darken the waters. Strangers ! when our gods 

 Have conquered, when ye lie upon the stone 

 Of sacrifice extended, one by one, 

 Half of our armies cannot taste your flesh, 

 Though given in equal shares, and every share 

 Minced like a nestling's food ! 



Madoc replied, 

 Azteca, we are few ; but through the woods 

 The lion walks alone. The lesser fowls 

 Flock multitudinous in heaven, and tly 

 Before the eagle's coming. We are few ; 

 Arid yet thy nation hath experienced us 

 Enough for conquest. Tell thy countrymen, 

 We can defend the city which we won. 

 So saying, he turned away, rejoiced at heart 

 To know himself, alike by lake or land, 

 Prepared to meet their power. The fateful day 

 Draws on ; by night the Aztecas embark. 

 At day-break, from Patamba, they set forth. 

 From every creek and inlet of the lake, 

 All moving toward Aztlan ; safely thus 

 Weening to reach the plain before her walls, 

 And fresh for battle. Shine thou forth, O sun I 

 Shine fairly forth upon the scene so fair ! 

 Their thousand boats, and the ten thousand oars, 

 From whose broad bowls the waters fall and flash, 

 And twice ten thousand feathered helms, and shields, 

 Glittering with gold and scarlet plumery. 

 Onward they come, with song and swelling horn ; 

 While, louder than all voice and instrument, 

 The dash of their ten thousand oars, from shore 

 To shore, and hill to hill, re-echoing rolls, 

 In undistinguishable peals of softnd. 

 And endless echo. On the other side 

 Advance the British barks ; the freshening breeze 

 Fills the broad sail ; around the rushing keel 

 The waters sing, while proudly they sail on, 

 Lords of the water. Shine thou forth, O sun ; 

 Shine forth upon their day of victory ! 

 Onward the Cymry spe«d. The Aztecas, 

 Though wondering at that unexpected sight, 

 Bravely made on to meet them, seized their bows, 

 And showered, like rain, upon the pavaised barks. 

 The rattling shafts. Strong blows the auspicious gale; 

 Madoc, the lord of ocean, leads the way ; 

 He holds the helm ; the galley where he guides 



3 R 4 Fli«g 



