HECCAR
AND
GAIRA
AN
AFRICAN
ECLOGUE
.
JAN.
3
,
1770.
WHERE
the
rough
Caigra
rolls
the
surgy
wave
,
Urging
his
thunders
thro
the
distant
Echoing
and
distant
,
copied
from
the
Boy's
own
hand
;
both
uncancelled
.
cave
;
Where
the
sharp
rocks
,
in
distant
horror
seen
,
Drive
the
white
currents
thro'
the
spreading
green
;
Where
the
loud
Tyger
,
pawing
in
his
rage
,
Bids
the
black
Archers
of
the
wilds
engage
;
Stretch'd
on
the
sand
,
two
panting
Warriors
lay
,
In
all
the
burning
torments
of
the
day
;
Their
bloody
jav'lins
reek'd
on
living
steem
Their
bows
were
broken
at
the
roaring
stream
:
Heccar
the
Chief
of
Jarra's
fruitful
Hill
,
Where
the
dark
vapours
nightly
dews
distill
,
Saw
Gaira
the
companion
of
his
soul
,
Extended
where
loud
Caigra's
billows
roll
;
Gaira
,
the
King
of
warring
Archers
found
,
Where
daily
lightnings
plow
the
sandy
ground
,
Where
brooding
tempests
howl
along
the
sky
,
Where
rising
desarts
whirl'd
in
circles
fly
.
HECCAR
.
Gaira
,
'tis
useless
to
attempt
the
chace
,
Swifter
than
hunted
Wolves
they
urge
the
race
;
Their
lessening
forms
elude
the
straining
eye
,
Upon
the
plumage
of
Macaws
they
fly
.
Let
us
return
,
and
strip
the
reeking
slain
Leaving
the
bodies
on
the
burning
plain
.
GAIRA
.
Heccar
,
my
vengeance
still
exclaims
for
blood
,
'Twould
drink
a
wider
stream
than
Caigra's
flood
.
This
jav'lin
,
oft
in
nobler
quarrels
try'd
,
Put
the
loud
thunder
of
their
arms
aside
.
Fast
as
the
streaming
rain
,
I
pour'd
the
dart
,
Hurling
a
whirlwind
thro'
the
trembling
heart
:
But
now
my
lingring
feet
revenge
denies
,
O
could
I
throw
my
javlin
from
my
eyes
!
HECCAR
.
When
Gaira
the
united
armies
broke
,
Death
wing'd
the
arrow
;
Death
impell'd
the
stroke
.
See
,
pil'd
in
mountains
,
on
the
sanguine
sand
The
blasted
of
the
lightnings
of
thy
hand
.
Search
the
brown
desart
,
and
the
glossy
green
;
There
are
the
trophies
of
thy
valour
seen
.
The
scatter'd
bones
mantled
in
silver
white
,
Once
animated
,
dared
the
force
Query
,
whether
not
intended
for
foes
?
in
fight
.
The
Children
of
the
Wave
,
whose
palid
race
Views
the
faint
sun
,
display
a
languid
face
,
From
the
red
fury
of
thy
justice
fled
,
Swifter
than
torrents
from
their
rocky
bed
.
Fear
with
a
sicken'd
silver
ting'd
their
hue
:
The
guilty
fear
,
when
vengeance
is
their
due
.
GAIRA
.
Rouse
not
Remembrance
from
her
shad'wy
cell
,
Nor
of
those
bloody
sons
of
mischief
tell
.
Cawna
,
O
Cawna
!
deck'd
in
sable
charms
,
What
distant
region
holds
thee
from
my
arms
?
Cawna
,
the
pride
of
Afric's
sultry
vales
,
Soft
as
the
cooling
murmur
of
the
gales
,
Majestic
as
the
many
colour'd
Snake
,
Trailing
his
glories
thro'
the
blossom'd
brake
;
Black
as
the
glossy
rocks
,
where
Eascal
roars
,
Foaming
thro'
sandy
wastes
to
Jaghirs
shores
;
Swift
as
the
arrow
,
hasting
to
the
breast
,
Was
Cawna
the
companion
of
my
rest
.
The
sun
sat
low'ring
in
the
Western
sky
,
The
swelling
tempest
spread
around
the
eye
;
Upon
my
Cawna's
bosom
I
reclind
,
Catching
the
breathing
whispers
of
the
wind
:
Swift
from
the
wood
a
prowling
Tiger
came
;
Dreadful
his
voice
,
his
eyes
a
glowing
flame
;
I
bent
the
bow
,
the
never-erring
dart
Pierc'd
his
rough
armour
,
but
escap'd
his
heart
;
He
fled
,
tho'
wounded
,
to
a
distant
waste
,
I
urg'd
the
furious
flight
with
fatal
haste
;
He
fell
,
he
dy'd
—
spent
in
the
fiery
toil
,
I
stripid
his
carcase
of
the
furry
spoil
And
as
the
varied
spangles
met
my
eye
,
On
this
,
I
cried
,
shall
my
lov'd
Cawna
lie
.
The
dusky
midnight
hung
the
skies
in
grey
;
Impell'd
by
Love
,
I
wing'd
the
airy
way
;
In
the
deep
valley
and
the
mossy
plain
,
I
sought
my
Cawna
,
but
I
sought
in
vain
.
The
pallid
shadows
of
the
azure
waves
Had
made
my
Cawna
and
my
children
slaves
.
Reflection
maddens
,
to
recall
the
hour
,
The
Gods
had
giv'n
me
to
the
Daemon's
power
.
The
dusk
slow
vanish'd
from
the
hated
lawn
,
I
gain'd
a
mountain
glaring
with
the
dawn
.
There
the
full
sails
,
expanded
to
the
wind
,
Struck
horror
and
distraction
in
my
mind
,
There
Cawna
mingled
with
a
worthless
train
,
In
common
slav'ry
drags
the
hated
chain
.
Now
judge
my
Heccar
,
have
I
cause
for
rage
?
Should
aught
the
thunder
of
my
arm
assuage
?
In
ever-reeking
blood
this
jav'lin
dy'd
With
vengeance
shall
be
never
satisfied
:
I'll
strew
the
beaches
with
the
mighty
dead
And
tinge
the
lily
of
their
features
red
.
HECCAR
.
When
the
loud
shriekings
of
the
hostile
cry
Roughly
salute
my
ear
,
enrag'd
I'll
fly
;
Send
the
sharp
arrow
quivering
thro'
the
heart
Chill
the
hot
vitals
with
the
venom'd
dart
;
Nor
heed
the
shining
steel
or
noisy
smoke
,
Gaira
and
Vengeance
shall
inspire
the
stroke
.