^ '"-.J- ^„\ Vv yXjkJ^^-'^'^^ rp rHE lihJD RIVER ItJ^ I?f2., EXPEDITTON V V R I. G i; 1^ . Hove fills my heart, aiul will, 'Till ev'ry pulse tliiii throbs, in death is sDiil. So changiii"^ sco^is will i)ass, luifcil tho last Of our short drauia Tiiiu<:jles iu the pa^t. We cauriot see, or know the change to be. In the (lark vista of futurity. Thus, while we live, the i-ain ami siiusliiuc fail, In fair proportion 0)i the breathing all, When we consider all the streams that How, Of human lifetimes, as thov come and go, Flooding, then ebbing, ending in tho same Llelentless grasp. of Death, whose; very claim We. cannot for a single nu)ment shun, But pay his tribute each and ev'ry one. Some leave behind a mark of '' how they ran," A foot])rint to the faniily of man, Whihf changnnx lives liko min<\ ah! who can say The ijooel or evil of its transient |>y times in Thunder Bay. ^¥-M< «♦-♦- CANTO. I'hongh 'neath tlieso far Canadian skitis, Ohl Enghind's well known banner flies^ So Manitoba soon shall see It waving, where was woIl^^o be A flag dishonored by its cause, The disrespect to human laws — Tlie base abuj-o of which, if true, Were worthy of the parvenu. Who sought by show, or transient might. To lead the darkened to the light, Thougli his own soul, if justly view'd, Could never be so misconstrued, As to suppose a lying part Could homage win of loyal hearts- There never was a pla 3o I've seen, Never a clime or country been, 'Midst nations, languages or tongue, Tha,t I have chanc'd to mix among, But He who made yon setting light Has ever sided with the right. So 'twill be here, I plainly feel it, While tlie result of time will seal it. The week-days i)ass so quickly here, A gen'rous wholesome atmosphere, The road is clear'd with soldiers' aid, And lofty trees are lowly laid. Rafts too are tow'd from creeks, to where An armed guard keeps sentry, there. Varied, and changing is the scene. The building of a magazine, The rolling casks and stores on si ore, While ciiijitied scow returns l.or more. For in the bay the steamer lies. Her hold lull of mit:cellanies. . (If so the term I may but use, Nor J^ennie's stricter course abuse, For grammar is a thing I trow, I slightly heed, and little know More than sufficient for the time, Not parse each sentence, or each line.) Edcli week there's one, what j nxious eyes. Look ro'.iiid the broken boundaries,' To see if the "Ohicora's" coming, Or the "Algonia" in the offing. Till nearer anil still nearer grows Ihe outlin'd foim, more plainly shews, Until the gazer sees the namo By whicii I hand them each to fame. The " Arctic" too, and others, then At times come in with stores and men. All else to excite our feelings fail, Save only those that bring the mail, The.se too will well remembered be, Thro' many a man's long history, And p'rhaps relate from siie to son, The story of an object won, A country with internal strife, i^uell'd; quieted without a life Lost to the world save one and he. Perchance throughout the history, Of this new nation may have been The instrument of God ; I weeii For purposes, in wisdom done. Though one, lias died and only one, Wo can't forget the course he ran, And left us but a murder'd man. c Work wt> Oiwh (lay and work vvii well, Tho lorfist round, its tale will bell. And roads are cut from 1'lnuider Bav, Full six and forty niilos away, 'l\) where tho running Matawin, Khbs fi'oni the i^ake Shebandowan. Brigades of boats are leaving fast, We, one and nil, wish for tin; last One going by the route, Whieh now is fixed beyond dispute!!, Iiound by Fort William's river, where, On that long Kaministiquia, In retros[>ection some recall,. The splendid Kakabeka Fall. r can't describe the glittering spray. The sheen and brightness of their play, The steep high rocks, the woods around Which never echoed to the sound Of scenes like this ; so cannot pen, Tlie image drawn by other men ; Since then I've often seen, the lai'ge Ivong raj)ids in their discharge. On other lakes whi^e on the way, To where I now intend to stay. And speak from heart when I decide, To let my future lifetime glide In this far land, if I can rest Upon the (x)ntines of the West. Oh ! for some news from thost that live. Within oui* mem'ries sjKjreil store. Where burning untold thoughts ai'e hid Until oui" j)i'esent lives are o'er, Until the long la,st finsd peal, Shall every secret thousrht reveul. Hearts that are stningers t<3 the ko} , Of Nature's gentle touching hand. That travei'se ev'iT stretch of sea, Ur visit ov'rv iliHtant land. That Imvo no thou^lit in all thoir day, ' But i)a.ssing precious time awfiy. That have no thought for ought but s<^lf, Who novel- (lid one kindly deod, Such I havo known ; but Clod forgive The ones that sowed the early soed ; To me whate'er 1 may become, Are dear the days forever gone. In ev'ry cliuK^ 't has been my lot, To wander o'er our planet's face, While here uiy senses take their fill, Of many scenes my mind can trace. And noWj my advent in the West, Will hv)re be numbered with the rest. The ba3''s calm water like a sheet, Meets the long point of Thunder C.^ipe, Whilst islands in the distance ope, Th( "r offing to a narrow gape, The hilir-! glow in the golden light That soon will vanish in the night. So time flips on, till May is nearly gone, Sunk in the abyss of Eternal Time, And each successive day, that duly comes, It is the same old, old routine, For 'tis no use to stait u. jsr We're ready for the wii lei'uess. I've felt alone while in the cr(jwded street, And liore I often think n]>on the past, For retrospection brings a sad i-egi-et, While liope oft whispers, that this >vill not hist. So let the time pass on; e'en as 't will. My soul's l)right eye is Avakefiil still. 10 The sun shines on onr flags, dark crimson red, The band peals out some Nvell rememher'd strain, The liquid surface on it's sandy bed. Reflects the sheen of yon bright orb again, And leaflets stirring in the wind. Bring treasur'd visions to my mind. England, thy strength is where no power on earth Can wrest it from thy adamantine liold ; The honor'd title that we v.'^kfnn by birth, Could ne er hy filthy wealth be bougiit or sold And wheresoo'er thy sons may be. They'll shed their last red drop for thee. \ CANTO. The evening shadows linger, and the soft warm ves])er breeze Stirs now and ihen the leaflet^on the tops of forest trees ; Tlie lake is scarcely rufilecl by n passing breath of wind, But lies in all its beauty, with the i.iany hills behind, While down the bay full half a mile the vol- unteers are seen. With their tents of snowy whiteness pitch'd near against the green Of forest trees around, while close by me are standinor, Tlie Expedition pow'rs that are of this Prince Arthur Landinji. f'i 11 Tliere's Wolsley's well known profile, McNeil's and Huyshe's too, I]-vino, Bolton, Jarvis, tlio' I can name but few, Whilst Dawson's features in i-elief clearly (as if by chance) Are seen, with his ])eculiar step and strange- ly piercing glance. So many other satellites revolve around the sunF?, Wlio may some day increase their light un- til they're equal ones. Days of fine sunny weather pass. And then a change ; over yon arch'd vault, Dark gloomy clouds electrified discharge Their gleaming fires, while deafning peals Of thunder shake the very ground Wliile yonder lake, so e.i'lm, and so sercTiic J-mt a few hours ago, is warring with The blasts of furious howling wind • Rain in descending torrents w(.^ls the earth, And camp-fire:^ smoke no more ; BreMk(>r on breaker rears aud roars Its anger on the rocky beach, Resu rging like the waves of ocean, But alas, 'tis but a miniature semblance Of the mighty deep. Night throws he]- shadows o'er the scene - Tlie warrmg elements abate not in their fury So rightly is this desiguated Thunder Bay For hidden veins of metrd lie, perchance, ^ l^eneath yon rising hills, and thus attract The combatants of air ; i ^ Mornijig, grey, dull and cold Forsunmier-time ; a higher sea, (Or higher lake, howe'er you like 12 Tlie term ] use ;) and boats Break from their moorings ; on the - Beach are thrown like notliings, .; • Till the hands of but a few, ('Mong whom an officer or two are seen,) Drag them from out the surf, Lest they should break, and useless be For ever after. Night comes agsin, till near its noon There is a sullen roar along the beach, While clouds disperse, and f-o I lay me down, tired and weary Slee}), until the rays of- Sol Wake me once more to pleasant weathei* And a sunny day. < , , Wing on old time, wing on your way, I wish not longei- here to stay ; Let us float on the ebbing stream ; This life of sameness is no theme To talk about so long I ti-ow ; To other places I will go, And see what they are doing there ; For boats are getting scarcer here, And men as well ; the staff has gone ; W hile though but fe\v, we re near alone. With palm in hand each morn I hail, The intricacies of a sail. But I must leave, at last, by road And get a ride upon n load Of sundries, drawn by horses two : Though night conies on before 1 view The tents against the trees afar On the river of Oskondogan ; Leave it, and perhaps at nine at night. Arrive at camj) on the Dam Site : While there I did r' :ulve to see ^B la P'oit (lavi-y, witli its vMst i)i'airie. Kcxt morn, 1 left the camp behind, And even now I call to mind, The way the noisy river ran, ' Prom out the Lake Shebandowan, The I'apids were but trifles to The ones we recently ran tlnoiigh, l>ut here I am again, and learn, That I must 'even now return, Nor thus digress such lengthy spans, I hit start me from Shebandowan, And tell you what we pageantry, ' "•" Heed not the future, or the course, ' '/ Tf 'twere for better or for worse ; it was a summer's evening briijht. As ever" fell to human ,si;T:ht Or could ])e wish'd by mortal man Wlien we left th© Shebandowan. I mean Cook's company ; tlie first. Perhaps the best, but not the worst. Of all Ontario's stalwart forms, That England's regbnents now adoi-u. Though not all men like Harry Lee, (.'an boast of more than six feet three, . u :i u But ouly state that perhaps they iniofht, Behave when in the smoking fight, Not them alone, but even all, Here that may know a bugle's call, Shew that the self same metal runs, In all of Albion's distant sons, As in the days, now in the shade The first or e'en the last crusade. A gentle breeze the loading o'er, Blows gently from the other shore >So now we '11 leave and onward go. In our allotted stations so As to avoid confu»mg line. Or to preserve a discipline — I resher, still fresher breezes blow, We round the point with sheets that flow, And oh ! methought if on the sea. With noble shij), how it would be, For often in the pressing gale, I 've furl'd or made or shoi^teu'd sail. The sun kad sunk, receding light. Was clasp'd within the arms of night, And we did land, within a bay, To camp until the break of day. Ten minutes pass, and you will see. Fires that blaz'd right merrily, Camp kettles fiU'd, from out the Lake, And so content our suppers take, While laugh and jest I need not say, Are given in the usual way With mei-ry taunt, in cheery sound. That takes away one half the wound, For words oft spoken in a jest Are apt to hv.rt full many a breast ; Heedless of all they play their part ; 'I were worthy of a painter's art, To see the feature group'd together, 15 ■5. t Some fair ; some bronz'd by other weather, By Iiid'« too well remember'd heat, Or old Atlantic's blinding sleet, Who e'en might of the Crimea tell, Or what in later timei befell, Talk too of scenes that they did know The siege of Delhi — or Liicknow, Such there were there, yet now they stand. In this far distant western land ; Whilst others have their sails unfurl'd. To try their advent in the world ; God grant their voyages may be But happy ones to memory. The supper o'er we lay us down, Upon the ntarest softest ground, And sleep as tired mortals can. When Morpheus steeps the soul of man, When tired frame o'ercomes the mind, ' Leaving the lagging thoughts behind ;' So night retreats 'fore day again. That breaks with wind and heavy rain. But, as the sun rose higher through The vault of God's ethereal blue. The gleams bath'd all, while lake and tree, Himg, as if in imagery. Some fairy legend did unfold, The scenes oft in our childhood told. So Sol once more asserts his sway. And rules supremely through the 'day. We leave the bay, what beauty there- Pellucid water — balmy air. Green waving trees— dark rocks— whose £:oom, Were worthy of a hermit's tomb- Diversified by islands green, That shine beneath the glorious sheen. Of that ' great light' that wondrous .11 b Where speculation may absorb B 16 Wheio .science now, so earnestly, Tasks all to leaia its mystery, The seci-ets of the fiery coat. That's tarnish'd only by the blot, Of tracts that seem (without comment) Consum'fl by its own element ; While now if J extend the dream, [t were a never ending theme, But here my memory lecalls, The first of Kashibowe's falls. We hear the sound of rushing water, ** Niagara " p'rhaps in miniature, But soon beneath the trees is seen, Tlie fiiUino; of the rapid stream. The spray in crystal globules send. Their bi-ight reflection, at the bend .\s where the river meets the lake ; And where we lie ; we quickly make Our preparations, to empty all The boats together, near the fall. How bari-els roll upon the shore, I've r\ever seen the like before, Surrounded by the scenes I've sung, These puerile sentences among. The portage measur'd o'er a mile ; It must be done ; and thus the while, With lengthen'd faces so we ponder Oazing at first in stupid wonder ; But thought wakes up, from out its rest Whilst plans are form'd to cross it best ; To carry flour, beans and pork Is tiresome and heavy w^oi'k, (Cartridge and armchests, boats and tjnts Give rise to many arguments. But what's the use of grumbling o'er. What we have never done before ? l*?o l)uckle to it as we may, I i 1 1 '^ 'IF 17 And leave old time to clear the v,iy ) They did ; with heavy sweating })row,s My retrospection sees them now. 8till jokes, and londer hiughtcr rang Those old re-echoing woods among While fervent utter'd blessings fell (.)n "carts" that shook our nerves ho well. Time on his journey moves, and youth Will change into old age in truth, (Scenes that we now may ponder on Will sink into oblivion ; And men and tilings will change, and F, Shall live my time ; and then shall die While sights and countries I have seeUj Many will never know t' have Ix^en ; l^erchance my grave may never claim. A mark to tell mv death and name, Bub in my heait thtre is a gem That breathes a fuller "resnrgem" So if the heaving billows roll, Along their stretch from pole to j)ole, If down — dee}) down — my body li«^.s. Btne^ith those liquid lioundurie*. Or if the sod from wliicli I caD.», A thing — a being — then a name, Bi-eathing the very breath of Ood, Thro' time's eternal [)eriod. That thought will give my r,}>irit ease, Whether on land, or sti-etchi sear Though if a higher pow't does d(?em. Me right in ending here life's dream, So I will, live, and livino- -die In this far Westei-ii TiH-r'tory.) The hour of ten \\\\x\ past and gone. Our foremost portage, fought and won Thought with disgust of " wliMt's in store," 18 And liow many tliere would be more — • Thus four we crosrs'd ; when, it is true, We to it nior« accustom'd grew. Nor car'd at all what other's were, We'd face them manfully when there, With greater ea«e than at the first, The two of all bv far the worst. The Height of Land we see at last, Four of weary trials past, Two called Kash-i-bowe, And two I think are term'd Brule, So we'll go on with better will Cross we the two they term Baril. Leave scenes so very much the iame, Giving them each a, proper name. For well they will remember'd be, At least in our imagery. So from Brule, for thus they ran, Tliere's three of Windigostigan, While fu.ther on oui* pilgrimage, We come upon the French portage, Which pass'd ; a stream that ends with Leads 'cross to Kaogasikok. If then, with fewer words we'll take A trip across old Sturgeon Lake. Beautiful falls T can't forget. The .finest we have come to yet, Tanner's and Island portage past. We come to Neguagon at last Thence to Bare portage — the last one Ere Rainy Lake we gaze upon So for to night I'll rest my pen. And sleep the same as other men. W rock Blow, breezes blow. Our cx)urse lies on Blow fresh and stiong, 19 That wo may sail Bt fore thy gale, Nor work us ao, Let oars rest inboard for awhile, Let pitasant chat the time beguile, Let anecdotes or '' yarns be spun."' At: o'er thy waves we glide along. But direct fate. Ordains it noi. Such is our lot, For adverse breeze. Give's us no ease. Insatiate, With 3tern revenge, blows right aheai So we get safely harbor-ed For fortune favors us at best, By giving us a daytime's rast, Old Boreas fails, Or rests a tim© Then in a line Our boats proceed, 'Tis well indeed, Each foot curtails The lengthy road, that we do wend, Whilst every blade, with springing 'bend, Dipi in the water— bright and dear. Bringing ns nearer and m»re near. The Rainy River I now can see, In my mind's eye, "We reach'd its source, Where on its course, It flows through Lac des Boia, fine sheet, Which in its ownard route doea meet, 2(i Tilt) WiitC'is vylierc. Fort Garry lies. On WinTn[;fg',s far boimduruj.s. Oil I that HoTue IjctLer hard than I would Nvi'it(\ K strain inoro full to thoo - n>uro orudito Two lapids at thy licud, we run and glide, More slowly j.ass the .scen'ry of thy nides ; Fort Francis lies near Hainy Kiver's luiad, A pallisade- Iiouses a few — and slieds, VVliil(5 llainv Fal!y dtush o'er tlw looky heifdit A thousand rninbowB on the g}izei**s sight. Thy green and sloping banks, thy winding way TliT «till dark vvaters, where the snnbeamsidav. And purple fruit hang in tliy verdant woods llipe, I'ich and luscious for a mortal's food. Where Nature aeenis t'have done man's work in And lawns are shapen, as by human art, [i)art Where gardens lie — scatter'd with careless lieed For all lier children vrhense'e'er tliev need. Such are thy scenes, oh ! Rainy River- -when I pass'd thy borders ime clear day ; and tlien Methought of bygone tropic scenes as well, As far exceeding auty, where the broad leav'd trees, With fire-tlies dancing and the vesper breeze. Blows nuu-m'ring while the forest Kingdom A gentle requiem to thedaylight's grave, [waves, Still for a <]uiet icene, a rural rest, I'^hj banks to jrie may vie —e'en with the best, For varied green, and cal*n serenic peace. Where one might almost wish to *' be at ease' No crowning height, no frowning deep ravines, Is l)y the [)leasant i>orders to be seen, "^W^^^ ^ Ul ^'j It t. No nmrked-ed change yot 'tiKa lovulvHiglit — A pretty picture-in a brilliiiiit light- - We'll ioiive thc(i now. Pine r(> .'tugo greets our Tall noblfi tit^e.-s um waving liiere i)t'rore, [eye And starry gems in heaven's eanoi)y Are gleaming on its near and farther shore, The breeze blows fair, oli ! grant it may retain, One bi'eath of luck to w aft us o'er the main " Of Lac des Bois vast inland li piid sheet, And favor'd breezes may our wishes meet. Good faith ! the breeze blows well ; spread wings Letusnotniarth'excitementof the race, [and run, No unskill'd hand shall guide our good boat on, So let the fleetest follow us in chise. Crowd on your canvass ! crowd, and trim it well, *Tis here that all the seamanship will teP, Ti.s here the yatcht'smon, amateurs in part, Will shew their knowledge of a seaman's art. And stronger yet the airy fluid blows We guide her where the breezes blow tlie best, So ; speeding fast our little vessel goes, Leaving behind so many of the rest, Whilst on our beam but one of them I see, That keeps her way beside us on the lee. She too before the close of day did learn, The shape and color of her rival's stern. The' dull dark clouds betoken'd wind or rain, Still on we kept nor slacken'd ought our pace, 'Till night's dark advent, ^'brought us to" again, Ending the while, our emulative race, And camp fires burn'd, and jokes were quickly Amongst each other in our merriment [sent. 1! *>'> Nevor hoai'd thei'o in all tho y^-ura, now fled, On times' recoi(li'i<^ i>agos niunlx'r'od. Scarcoluul tlio (liiyli<;lil broko,an(l morninj; llglit CrT-ovv to tli(.' fuliirss of a sr.ninicr's day— Wc f'jund our wind had vjmi.Hh'd In U»e night, And oars iK'tankM ns for a wrr.rv wav ; JJoach'd wci t\n island ; rani7)'d luidcr its leo, 'Till more advanta'^oons tho In-eoze HJioidd he, So horo I'll leave imapfery to ho^, And come at onco into tho Winnipeg. liat Portauje, I can picture thee now TlioMii'h I will give thee only a line 'Dallas' we'll pass with a souvenance, The " rirund J)echarg(5" will hasten tho time. Yellow Mud now recedes from my view, Il(^niem])rance hen; will linger apace, Islington Dilission greets my view, Its rural outlines my mind can trace. I. Island Portage or Portage de I'lsle, Passes by in a beautiful dream, Chute a Jacques, its tortuous way, Swift silent tide, and picturesque stream. Point de Bois and next tho " Slave Falls," (Jlorioiis 1 rui-hini!; their courso alon;:. Eddies whirl j ound their rocky beds, Unconqiier'd current shallow and strong. Trees that shade o'er its rocky baidvs, Cranite rocks on each side of my hand, Eesting there in their silent slee}), Thousands of years in that sterile, land, 23 Tlie " Otter Fall " with a noble swell, CoTiies then in a vl-iionary droam, Tho sw(3lling tido whore tlio waters nieoti Into a still and silent stream. Nevnr a llumghl till tho riishini? tide Frotliiiig and senthin,i(, liisHin-^ alon^, All thy surroundin;,'s full justify do Unto thy watsrs so deep and strong. Then comes the vilest, smallest of all, Seven following,' close in a line, So onward we s})ee(l, and quielcly cross Within a few Ueethig hours of time. Then Bonnet Lake, hut wo will not wait Tho " Whitii jMud " too we will ptiss iu hasto, Cmvi to the ones so ri<:hbfiilly named The Silver Falls, on tho rojk l)ound wa:3to. 5i. Oil, " Silver Falls,*' yoa, silver indood, Thy bosom is all a sliiui-.i',' whits, Whilst sunbeams danciu;:^- thy crest3 upon, Do almost dazzb the orbs of sight. No boat could live in thy treach'rous foam Beautiful only nnto the eye, Ryariii':^, and roaring, dashiu-jf along, With this last tribute I pass thee bye. Pine Portage, I'll but mention thy namo For wall X remind me what thou wort, Our journey is short'ning fast you'll say, For yonder stands Alexan.ler Fort. The ohl flag floated where we landed Over us high tho platform above. ^^ 24 The steps that load to it I trav«iv>e, Thinking the while, how a man will rore. Over the souk, farther and farther, \ isiting every country Irnown — A l\;eling oft comes o'er us sadly, Think we of how we travel alone. Early morning and we have started Favoring wind as (nir course we take, O'er the breast of tho dirty water Geography calls the Winnipeg Lake. On we hasten, for the long Red Kiver, Now we will enter its reeded mouth. The s;inds are past; while there we e«-^ it, Eunnin'^ its way, nearly North and Souths Here will I rest me at breakfast time. After it on my journey proceed. Bid ye faro well for a shoi-t half hour, And alter my strain, as it may need. Fall autumn leaves thy day has come. So we shji.ll fade like thee ; The morn, tho noon of life may pass, And old age we may see ; But fruits' will dro}) ere they are ripe, A storm may cross the path, And many a tree doea fall before The fury of its wrath. Thus we as well might close our day, Ere twelve short months have pass d avvaj. Such thou':]:ht will sometimes visit us, When others may bat jest, Yet I must guilty plead for on«. ■^s 25 ti T' liave felt it with the r^t. For thus 1 thought while I did float, Upor the sluggish stream, And call'd the past unto my mind, In retros})ection's dream. Have ye ne'er had a dream like this And felt that something was amiss 1 I will not dwell upon it more, I'll watch me wiiere we go. As by the river banks we glide, With measur'd stroke and slow. The oars dip in ; the liquid flood, Its sound to me is old, And trees of varied foliage shine, As if their leaves were gold. But yet no houses 'grace the side Of the lied Iliver's ebbing tide. So on, and on our good boat goes — 1 would the tale were done, Till near the *' l^iower Fort" and met The Sixtieth on return, And cordial greetings pass'd to all, And wishes there were said, Of good import from ev'ry lip, By sliouta accompanied. While a,n the plunder they had therft, Was a contented looking boar. The sun had sunk behind the hill When our feet touch'd the shore, And walK-ed around the LowT^r Fort, And scanned it o'er and o'er, We long'd to start the twenty milea, ()n which Fort Garry lies, To gaze uj)on its sim'lar walls ^ 26 And end our miseries. . , But patience, ere another sun Our tedious journey will bo done. Houses of varied structure novr, And churches graoe the view ; I cannot now i'ecall the names, Of settlements })ass'd through, Nor does it matter much I trow, ' };v But I will call to mind, St. Andrew's church and kerchiefs white, That ilutter'd in the wind, The merry shouts, for i).one hut boys, : Could make so jubilant a noise. 1 1 God speed the time, the wind blows fair, Our little tleet hies on, ,j. And at the hour of five we find Ovu' Aveary race is run. ■ , • , For }\')nder runs the Assiniboine, ; '..,'.,, And there Fort Garry lies, The emblem of our nation's might ?>-- Floats out against tlie skies — .,. f No booming gun, no battle cry, . , , 'Tis end"'l all and t)eacefullv. .. , . i. V And now I'll close my rambling lay, It may not please you ail. For many a hawkeyed critic may, Some minoi' fault or small. Point to the gaze of public view. But tako it as 'twas meant, .. ^ 'Twas done in friendship for you all . i , And not with bad intent. While my last wishes you v/ill see Conclude this condens'd history. ^ ^. .., i/ 'I' -4 «St- >- -»- ""!%» i| 27 CONCLUSION. My journey now is ended quite, the weary taakis done, J. wimld that I could write me oi' a battle yet unwon' But ere 1 lay me down the pen, ahoon Isim])]y crave' A thought once in a lifetime, and a thought beyond the grave, I cannot tell of scenes gone Lye, recalliiigalltliepast, Lhe dream wasfavtooi)Laeeful, yet mcthought tju.t it would hist, I would if I couLl dip my pen in streams of licjui.lfirc but write the words my soul doth feel, expreasino- its desire. ° I'd ^ish Avell to my fellow men, wherever I mi '^ht be Ihat they might livo with one iMicqrdJji peace ai.(i Contrascjpit timea s^KSSaiSp- we do, as Line' pursues ni8 way. Ay The r.unshine of^thelraried past ; thegloominesstoiness through all the days before, ft may not be that we sliould meet again, upon the earth, But keep within your inward souls the land that gave ye birth, No matter wheresoe'er it is, of large or small extent. The landthat bore our forefathers »s ours to all intent, We cannot cut the bond in two the truer blood will shew, Remember this I pray ye all, wherever you may go. And now good-by<», una hearty grasj), for sprijjg will scatter all Your ranks that I've oft look'd upon, before th'en- siiing fall, God speed ye too, and all I ask is what I ask'd })ef ore, "A thought at times," 'twill ne'er o'erload your me- morief, vast store, And ev'ry officer as well my earnest wishes hath Prosperity and happiness, may alway cross their })ath. While if I have by my poor peu beguil'd the time awhile 'Twere not in vain to try again, a more elab'rate style. So one last wish I wiU propose, which ev'ry one will join, The sterling of a metal's worth will ring throughout the coin. As men beneath the Crimson Hag, whatevermay betide, [n peace orwar, within the ranks of God's avenging side, Eing ye the war-cry long and loud, the battle shout supreme, (io) blesfsing-on our n.-.lion'f; arms, and on ournobl* Queen. m