74 Trm I sactions. — MisceUcmeo us . 



(10.) 



A SentineVs Cry, or Watch-song, at nl[iht, within the besieged fortress. 

 Here is the owl hooting away bravely ! 

 He is not moving up and down on his perch ; 



Not he ! 

 No, not even once uplifting his head to look about, 



The thumping big head of the owl ! 

 Not gliding away on his wings. 



But staying and hooting ! 

 Now, — It is night ! it is night ! 

 Anon, — It is day ! it is day ! 

 Open broad daylight, — Hurrah ! 



(Grey, loc. cit., p. 62.) 

 The inference from the natural actions of the unclisturbed owl on the 

 neighbouring forest-trees is,— that there is no enemy prowling near; so, 

 sleep on ; ive (the OAvl and I) are watching. 



(11.) 

 Another Watch-song. 

 It is night : it is night : — 

 It is day : it is day : — 

 The moon it is breaking ; 

 The bird it is singing ; 

 Broad day-light is coming ! 

 It is day ! it is day ! 

 It is broad day-light ! 



(Grey, loc. cit., p. 40.) 

 In their watch- songs, used within the fort (of which there are several, as 

 may he supposed), there is always more or less of the coming dawn, and of 

 its harbingers ; — the wished for morning dawn, — the stars heralding the 

 approach of the dawn ; — expressed in various natural ways. Keminding 

 one of the many not dissimilar bold and beautiful expressions in the Psalms, 

 and in other parts of the Old Testament, re " the waking up of the morn- 

 ing," — " the dawning of the morning," — " those that wearily watch for the 

 morning," etc., etc. — (Psalms 30-5 ; 57-8 ; 130-6, etc.) ; and, also, in 

 Ovid, — "Evocat auroram." — Met. XI., 597. 



(12.) 

 Another Watch-song. 

 The moon shines brightly ! 

 The moon shines brightly ! 



Wliat is to be seen ? 

 (Here) the spears strong and ready ! 

 (There) the spears weak and fearful ! 

 Mine were not quite true to aim ; 



Yet they shall be. 

 Thine were not true to aim, 



