Some Poetic Fish- Fancies. 139 



Shoal of Whales." The fisher folk are all in chapel on a 

 Sabbath when out through the open door one sees the 

 monsters spouting in the bay. "There are whales in the 

 bay ! a shoal ! a shoal ! " 



" ' Leviathan ! Leviathan ! ' 

 The minister cries, and shuts his book ; 

 And though a man of peace is he, 

 As a preacher of the Word should be, 

 He takes his musket from a nook, 

 Rusty and old, and hastes away 

 To join his people in the bay. 



The women have left their spinning wheels, 



Their hose, their nets, their fishing creels, 



And arm'd themselves with pikes and staves 



To follow the monsters of the waves. 



Fifty boats at least are ready, 



With rowers strong and helmsmen steady, 



To drive the whales into shallow water, 



And dye the beach with the blood of slaughter. 



Merrily row the boats, 

 Merrily swell the sails, 

 And merrily go the islanders 

 To chase the mighty whales. 

 And quietly prays the preacher 

 For a blessing and reward 

 Upon harpoon and musket, 

 Upon the spear and sword, 

 That shall slay the great Leviathan 

 For the glory of the Lord." 



But the Behemoth of the poets is, as I have said, a mixed 

 beast. At times it is the elephant "for thee his ivory 

 load Behemoth bears." At others the rhinoceros " decked 

 in Behemoth's spoils, the tall Shangalla strode." And 

 again a hippopotamus 



" Mild is my Behemoth, though large his frame, 

 Smooth is his temper and repressed his flame 

 While unprovoked. This native of the flood 

 Lifts his broad foot and puts ashore for food : 

 Earth sinks beneath him as he moves along 

 To seek the herbs." 



