 | Songs of a Stranger |  |
116
THE RETURN OF THE INDIANS TO NIAGARA.
My faithful love! we'll onward roam,
And seek together our forest home:
No more the stranger's roof to see,
In our woods—on our rivers we are free.
They cannot lure the Indian to stay
From his woods and his rivers long away.
And seek together our forest home:
No more the stranger's roof to see,
In our woods—on our rivers we are free.
They cannot lure the Indian to stay
From his woods and his rivers long away.
The stranger's halls may yield him bliss,
But can they compare to a sky like this?
The stranger may feast in his gaudy bowers,
But his banquet is not so sweet as ours;
And gold and jewels may round him shine,
But can they compare with riches like mine—
My wide domains of mountain and grove,
My joys with thee of freedom and love?
But can they compare to a sky like this?
The stranger may feast in his gaudy bowers,
But his banquet is not so sweet as ours;
And gold and jewels may round him shine,
But can they compare with riches like mine—
My wide domains of mountain and grove,
My joys with thee of freedom and love?
117
Lake Erie is near, and the Rapids clear
Will guide us on our way,
Until they rush, with sparkling gush,
Where wild Ontario's waters play.
Will guide us on our way,
Until they rush, with sparkling gush,
Where wild Ontario's waters play.
The ravens are hovering for their food,
For fatal to the finny brood
Is the dash of the Rapid's spray;
They lie on the shore, and their colours bright
Flash for awhile in the sunny light,
Then fade in death away.
For fatal to the finny brood
Is the dash of the Rapid's spray;
They lie on the shore, and their colours bright
Flash for awhile in the sunny light,
Then fade in death away.
The evening sun its parting glance
Has left on rock and tree,
And lo! the shadowy mists advance!—
And they move—how rapidly!
Has left on rock and tree,
And lo! the shadowy mists advance!—
And they move—how rapidly!
Ha! 'tis not evening's misty dew
That spreads in clouds on high;
Those wreaths of snowy foam defy
The might of time, of earth and sky,—
The stately Falls burst on my view
In all their majesty!
That spreads in clouds on high;
Those wreaths of snowy foam defy
The might of time, of earth and sky,—
The stately Falls burst on my view
In all their majesty!
118
Now down the dizzy steep we go,
Where the stunning waters flow
Over rocks, whose heads are seen
The overwhelming waves between;—
Scarcely the eye may mark the height
From whence they pour with resistless might!
Where the stunning waters flow
Over rocks, whose heads are seen
The overwhelming waves between;—
Scarcely the eye may mark the height
From whence they pour with resistless might!
Let us fly from the deaf'ning sound,
Whose thunder shakes the trembling ground;
Midst the terror of that ceaseless din,
Is there no spot to shelter in?
Whose thunder shakes the trembling ground;
Midst the terror of that ceaseless din,
Is there no spot to shelter in?
Methinks, through the roar so wild and high,
Silver voices in whispers sigh,
And across the foam of that rushing tide
Shadowless forms appear to glide.
There, where the rainbow loves to play
In vanishing hues along the spray,
Their glittering wings the Spirits wave,
And beckon us to their wat'ry cave:—
They know from the stranger's land we come,
And they hasten to welcome the Indians home.
Silver voices in whispers sigh,
And across the foam of that rushing tide
Shadowless forms appear to glide.
There, where the rainbow loves to play
In vanishing hues along the spray,
Their glittering wings the Spirits wave,
And beckon us to their wat'ry cave:—
They know from the stranger's land we come,
And they hasten to welcome the Indians home.
| Songs of a Stranger | |