118 NIMROD OF THE SEA; OR, 



"See where those shoals of dolphins go, 



A glad and glorious band ; 

 Sporting amid the day-bright woods 

 Of a coral fairy-land. 



"See, on the violet sands beneath, 



How the gorgeous shells do glide ! 

 O Sea ! Old Sea ! who yet knows half 

 Of thy wonders and thy pride ? 



"Look how the sea-plants trembling float, 



All, like a mermaid's locks, 

 Waving in threads of ruby red, 

 Over these nether rocks. 



" Heaving and sinking, soft and fair, 



Here hyacinthine, there green, 

 With many a stem of golden growth 

 And silver-starred flowers between." 



There is a tradition that the good Captain Cook planted 

 a couple of hogs in this island to provide future visitors 

 with stuff for sea-pies, and a portion of the crew organized 

 a boar-hunt. Armed with a shortened whaling-lance, boat- 

 hooks, and clubs, we clambered the steep hill back of the 

 watering-place, and plashed noisily through the dripping 

 bushes. We soon started a gay and festive boar, of grey- 

 hound proportions and activity. With a grunt, a tail on 

 end, and bristles and heels in the air, he dashed forward 

 down the hill; we following, with yells, in his rear. Our 

 outcries brought the rest of the crew up the narrow valley, 

 when they brought the brute to bay. A lucky prod with 

 the lance touched his life, and he soon went into his flurry, 

 and turned on his beam-ends ; but not before he had made 

 several vicious charges on his surrounding foes, although, 

 fortunately, none of the reckless boys were lacerated by his 

 formidable tusks. Our visions of sea-pie vanished at once 



