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Show 32 God of the earth! what cries Rang upward unto Thee 1 Voices of agony and blood, From ship-deck and from sea. The last dull plunge was heard' rhe last wave caught its stainAnd the unsated sharks look'd up For human hearts in vain. • • .. • Red glowed the western watersThe setting sun was there, Scattering nlil<e on wave and cloud His fiery mesh of hair. Amidst a group in blindness, A solitary eye Gazed, from the burden'd slaver's deck, Into that burning sky. 'A storm,' spoke out the gazer, ' Is gathering and at handCurse on 't-I 'd give my other eye For one firm rood of land.' And then he laugh'd-but only His echoed laugh replied- For the blinded and the suffering Alone were at his side. Night settled on the waters, And on a stormy heaven, While fiercely on that lone ship's track The thunder-gust was driven. 33 ' A sail !-thank God ! a sail ! ' And, as the helmsman spoke Up through the stormy murmu: A shout of gladness broke. ' Down came the stranger vessel Unheeding, on her way, So near, that on the slaTer's deck Fell otT her driven spray . 'Ho! for the love of mercyWe 're perishing auU blind ! ' A wail of utter agony Came back upon the wind. 'Help us! for we are stricken With blindness every oneTen days we 've floated fearfully, Unnoting star or sun. Our ship 's the slaver LeonWe've but a score on boardOur slaves are all gone overHelp- for the love of God ! ' On livid brows of agony The broad red lightning shoneBut the roar of wind and thunder Stifled the answering groan. Wail'd from the broken waters A last despairing cry, As kindling in the stormy light, The stranger ship went by. 3 |