NATURE STUDY IN SCHOOLS. lb 



She asked for no clearance papers, 



For to no port was she bound, 

 Yet with many a joyous argosy 



Sailed she the waters round. 



Long, long she sailed on the ocean, 

 Where she breasted many a gale, 



Yet in the darkling hurricane 

 She never reefed a sail. 



She lightly sped o'er the billows 



In many a tropic noon, 

 And often lay becalmed by night 



In th' path of the brilliant moon. 



She has sighted many headlands 



Along these southern shores, 

 From Haiti's high, majestic cliffs 



To Jamaica's fairy bowers. 



Then through th' lofty Carib Isles 



With many others in her train, 

 She caught the breath of the south-east trades 



And cleared the Spanish Main. 



Alas ! among these verdant isles 



This ship no more we'll hail, 

 For broken is her goodly hull 



And drooped her azure sail. 



She lies upon this distant key 



Abandoned by the wave, 

 This lonely beach her resting place, 



Where the sand will form her grave. 



Oh Physalia, child of the ocean, 

 Wanderer on the wide, wide sea! 



Few in the race of humanity 

 Care aught for the fate of thee! 



