The Evening Gun 



THE EVENING GUN, 



Behind the cloudy cope of Algezir, 

 The sun upon the western heaven has spread 

 The glowing curtains of his golden bed — 



Night's ebon steeds advancing in his rear, 



With shadowy wings pursuing swift, draw near ; 

 While dark'ning vapours, from their nostrils sped, 

 Athwart the ridge come sailing overhead, 



Where Calpe frowns deep-bastion'd tier o'er tier. 



Lo ! from her brow a gush of bursting flame. 

 Whose hot sulphureous breath in silence roU'd, 

 Mixes among the fleeting vapours cold ; — 



Hark ! the slow thunder breaks with dread acclaim ; 

 And the hush'd ocean trembles, being told 

 The proud supremacy of Albion's name. 



At dinner all the people were talking about the new 

 ministry, which had come in while we had been wandering 

 among the mountains, thinking of nobody in the world less 

 than Lord John and Lord Derby. 



March 7. 



Now, that I have got news from home, I have agreed to 

 go over the Straits to Africa, which, by the way, though 

 Harry had been daily talking of it, we could not safely have 

 done yet, for there has been a most tremendous storm 

 raging almost ever since we arrived. A great man-of-war 

 has run aground in the harbour, and all the shores are 

 strewed with wrecks. 



Since writing the above we have been down to the 

 " water-gate," and arranged to go over to-morrow morning 

 if the wind abate, which there is some hope of, as the even- 

 ing is rather finer. The captain says his vessel will be 

 laden with corn and Jews — a curious cargo. We have 



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