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THE COROMANDEL'S LAMENT.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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285

THE COROMANDEL'S LAMENT.

[_]

The following, supposed to represent the feelings of a Coromandel chief in captivity, was written for music. The incident is mainly true.

In the Coromandel country I was born,
Far away, far away;
And happy was I at night and morn,
In the Coromandel country, far away:
Where the birds sang free
In the banyan tree,
In the Coromandel country, all the day.
Ah, fearful was the fight where my father was slain,
Far away, far away;
Where first I felt the captor's chain,
In the Coromandel country, far away:
Where the breeze blows free
Over land and over sea,
In the Coromandel country, far away.
Then cruel men bore me the wide waters o'er,
Far away, far away,
From kindred and home I may never see more,
In the Coromandel country, far away:
From the green palm tree
That overshadowed me,
In the Coromandel country, far away.

286

But tyrants never can bind our dreams,
Far away, far away;
Again in my sleep the warm sun gleams,
In the Coromandel country, far away;
Again on the tree
Sings the bird for me,
In the Coromandel country, far away.
O, welcome the hour when friendly Death,
Far away, far away,
Shall waft my spirit with his breath
To the Coromandel country, far away;
Ever there to rest,
In freedom blest,
In the Coromandel country, far away.