 | Songs for Sailors |  |
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FROM THE CASSITERIDES.
In Tyre. b.c. 1000.
So again we ocean-voyagers have once more our hearts' desire,
Ah! how we longed and laboured thus to sit once more in Tyre.
Ah! how we longed and laboured thus to sit once more in Tyre.
How we urged our worn bark onward, month on month, old Tyre to win!
How we plyed our oars this morning as to port we swept us in!
How we plyed our oars this morning as to port we swept us in!
Little know you blest home-dwellers what it is to seatost eyes
To see upward out of ocean, temple, tower, and homeroof rise!
To see upward out of ocean, temple, tower, and homeroof rise!
Ah! but that home-bath was pleasant—pleasant too that fragrant oil,
Dear the meat and dear the wine-draught after all our ocean-toil.
Dear the meat and dear the wine-draught after all our ocean-toil.
Now the pleasant feast is over—now in quiet joy I sit,
Wife and children, friends around me, and the evening lamps are lit,
Wife and children, friends around me, and the evening lamps are lit,
Now the holy Gods are worshipped and with offerings duly blest,
Strangely calm's the sense of safety and the blessedness of rest.
Strangely calm's the sense of safety and the blessedness of rest.
And the long, long days of danger and of toil and hardship seem
To me, dear ones, looking on you, all a strange and troubled dream.
To me, dear ones, looking on you, all a strange and troubled dream.
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Lost are fears of dread sea-monsters that the wandering lone bark track,
Of the foul men-eaters' savage shores—the pirate Greeks' attack.
Of the foul men-eaters' savage shores—the pirate Greeks' attack.
Far—far have we voyaged westward—westward to the ocean's bound,
Where the circling mists of chaos gird the ends of Earth around.
Where the circling mists of chaos gird the ends of Earth around.
Where strange shapes of terror haunt us—horrors of the waves and wind,
Where are glooms to which the dead are ferried when life's left behind.
Where are glooms to which the dead are ferried when life's left behind.
Hardy hearts, O friends, were ours when, after vows at Gades' fane,
To great Melcart, there we launched us forth out in the unknown main.
To great Melcart, there we launched us forth out in the unknown main.
For there from out the far north waves, rise the grey Isles of Tin
To Tyrians known, where they alone the rare white ingots win,
To Tyrians known, where they alone the rare white ingots win,
The precious hardeners of our bronze—the edge to sword and spear,
Won through our sweat and life-risk, to our merchants' eyes how dear!
Won through our sweat and life-risk, to our merchants' eyes how dear!
White rose the cliffs of the lone isles, when in the sinking sun,
We saw the foam break on their rocks and knew our goal was won.
We saw the foam break on their rocks and knew our goal was won.
Fair in the quiet light of eve—the flush of dying day,
White cliff and pebbly beach and leafy hill and valley lay.
White cliff and pebbly beach and leafy hill and valley lay.
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Still as just fresh from the Gods' hands, that far new world we saw,
So on creation's utmost bound, it hushed our lips with awe.
So on creation's utmost bound, it hushed our lips with awe.
No life, save the grey gull's o'erhead; no sight—no sound of man,
Till a skin canoe stole out from where to sea a river ran,
Till a skin canoe stole out from where to sea a river ran,
And with signs we called the savage, and one, our crew among,
Shouted some uncouth words he knew of the strange British tongue.
Shouted some uncouth words he knew of the strange British tongue.
Near paddled the barbarian, rough-wolf-skin-clad, blue-dyed,
The lip unshaven, the hair unclipped, the neck torque-girt, fierce-eyed.
The lip unshaven, the hair unclipped, the neck torque-girt, fierce-eyed.
Some gay Sidonian glass-beads, some Tyrian toys we gave;
He led us where a land-locked bay knew not the boisterous wave.
He led us where a land-locked bay knew not the boisterous wave.
Our messages of friendship inland the savage bore;
Soon plaided chiefs and shaggy braves thronged down upon the shore.
Soon plaided chiefs and shaggy braves thronged down upon the shore.
Then down car-borne they bore the tin, the treasures that we sought;
Well stored were we for trading, and right well the tin we bought.
Well stored were we for trading, and right well the tin we bought.
And friendship grew as weeks went by, and trust; without a fear
We trod the land; with the wild tribes we hunted boar and deer.
We trod the land; with the wild tribes we hunted boar and deer.
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We feasted in their chieftains' halls; we heard their glories sung
In songs that streamed in living fire from many a wild bard's tongue.
In songs that streamed in living fire from many a wild bard's tongue.
And in the awful temples of their circled stones, our eyes
Saw their Druids' fires flame to their Gods with shrieking sacrifice.
Saw their Druids' fires flame to their Gods with shrieking sacrifice.
And fearless grew our feet to range green Britain's solitudes,
To trace the car-tracks to the huts that clustered in its woods,
To trace the car-tracks to the huts that clustered in its woods,
Where, in many a forest clearing that deep-trenched rampart girds,
The scattered hamlets homed the tribes amongst their flocks and herds.
The scattered hamlets homed the tribes amongst their flocks and herds.
Oh pleasant are those British woods—those boundless roofs of green,
With grassy lawns and ferny dells their giant trunks between.
With grassy lawns and ferny dells their giant trunks between.
Where quiet glassy rivers wind through soundless woodland shades,
And wildfowl scream from reedy fens and hares fleet through the glades.
And wildfowl scream from reedy fens and hares fleet through the glades.
There the grey wolf howls along the waste—the beaver dams the lake,
And the wild boar routs through the beeches' mast and shoulders through the brake,
And the wild boar routs through the beeches' mast and shoulders through the brake,
And nought is heard but bird and beast save when the rush and cry
Of the roaring hunt with its sounding horns through the forest depths sweep by.
Of the roaring hunt with its sounding horns through the forest depths sweep by.
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So we traded on in peace until our hold could store no more,
And our hearts and eyes for the sight of Tyre and our homes were longing sore.
And our hearts and eyes for the sight of Tyre and our homes were longing sore.
Then war amongst the fierce tribes rose, and with javelin shaft and bow,
Target and huge bronze broadsword, we watched their warriors go.
Target and huge bronze broadsword, we watched their warriors go.
And we dipped our oars for the long toil of our homeward ocean way,
And to our guardian Gods we vowed rich offerings to pay.
And to our guardian Gods we vowed rich offerings to pay.
And to Gades steered we safe and, through the Columns that the hand
Of Melcart set, we toiled, and long we coasted land on land.
Of Melcart set, we toiled, and long we coasted land on land.
And we 'scaped the pirate Carians, 'scaped the tempests' whelming wrath,
And the perils of rock, and shore, and shoal that thronged our ocean-path.
And the perils of rock, and shore, and shoal that thronged our ocean-path.
And always our hearts' home-longing, our eyes' desiring, grew
More eager and more hungering for the sights so well we knew.
More eager and more hungering for the sights so well we knew.
And always our weary arms grew strong and quicker bent the oar,
As we sang the songs that seamen sing when they near their homes once more.
As we sang the songs that seamen sing when they near their homes once more.
And Oh how cheerily rang our song and how hot grew our desire
For land as we swept through the long glad waves that were rolling in to Tyre.
For land as we swept through the long glad waves that were rolling in to Tyre.
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And Oh with what praise to Melcart we vowed our vows anew
As the holiest temple Tyrians know rose from the ocean's blue!
As the holiest temple Tyrians know rose from the ocean's blue!
Then our pull grew strongest and swiftest as to port our oars strained in
With the burdened bark we had safely brought from the far strange Isles of Tin.
With the burdened bark we had safely brought from the far strange Isles of Tin.
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