THE FORESTERS. 77 



J he dread abyss wheels round our giddy brains; 

 keech, like a bird, with the whole gulf in view, 

 -Uown its slight slippery bars regardless flew ; 



"he bard came after, not devoid of fear, 

 And Duncan, gay and laughing, closed the rear; 

 *he cumb'rous weight its bending sides assails, 

 It yields ! it cracks ! its whole foundation tails ! 

 Fear, swift as light, the rocks' grim pavement stains 

 with mangled limbs, and blood, and spattered brains; 

 ■out firm above the roots remained, though rude, 

 And safe below on Chaos' shores we stood. 



Genius of song! Great Source of light and day ! 

 How shall the Muse this dreadful place portray ! 

 where, all around, tremendous rocks were spread, 

 "hat from our feet in headlong fury fled »(57) 

 "ocks that great Ajax, with his hundreds more, 

 ^ould scarce have moved one hairbreadth from the 



shore. 

 " here loo-s, and boards, and trees of reverened age, 

 *feat to a pulp amid the torrent's rage, 



* r agrnents of boats, oars, carcases unclean, 



( -*f what had bears, deer, fowls and fishes been, 

 ^ a y in such uproar, 'midst such clamor drowned,(53) 



* hat death and ruin seemed to reign around ! 



High in our front th' outrageous river roared, 

 And in three separate falls stupendous poured ; 

 *h*st, slow Fort Slusher , s(59) down was seen to roam 

 * n one vast livino- sheet of orlittering foam; 

 Un Us south side a little islet towers, 



E2 



