Away three hundred years have flown
Since the Munsee found a watery grave;
But when old Night is on her throne,
And stars troop forth her sway to own,
Rise warblings from the wave:
And a shadowy face of mournful mien,
With locks all draggled by the surge,
Belated wanderers have seen
From the glittering lake emerge-
One moment float in moonlight fair,
Then mix with the waters, or vanish in air.”
Ere Blanche could Wun-nut-hay reward
With one approving smile or word,
A muffled tread upon the sward,
And sound of parting boughs she heard:
Upspringing, with a joyous cry,
She deemed her gallant husband nigh;
An instant more,—and in her mien
Fear's paralyzing power was seen;
All color vanished from her cheek,
Her lips were locked, and could not speak ;
Back was her head in horror thrown-
Her form all motionless like stone:
Whence came the spell that bound her frame,
And hushed, half-breathed, a loved one's name?
Through the flowery wall
Of her vine-woven forest hall,
A dark, vindictive visage peered,
With paint, denoting war, besmeared.
Not well could eloquence have framed
The language by that look proclaimed:
It told of prize, long sought, at last
In hard, unyielding clutches fast-
Of pleasure such as panthers feel,
Though longing for a bloody meal,
When hunted down their prey;
For glared keen eye-balls with a joy
That would caress, and then destroy
Though hunger chid delay.
A something, in that hideous face,
Could Blanche of one remembered trace;
For the clear outlines, full and bold,
Less of the red, than white man told;
And its fixed look of glad surprise,
Despite of barbarous disguise,
Announced that she was known full well,
Plainly as word could syllable.
As howls the wood-wolf to his pack
When some fair doe rewards his search,
And the far hills give answer back,
Scaring the wild-bird from her perch-
So did that man of evil eye
Out-pour one long, loud signal-cry,
To which the groves replied in tone
As fierce and startling as his own.
Roused was the lady by the sound,
And Wun-nut-hay looked wildly round
For outlet of escape in vain :
Dark forms, in Huron garb bedight,
Like serpents glided into sight,
And bound with thongs the twain.
The party, with their scowling chief,
Held hurried conference and brief
In harsh and guttural tone;
Then left the violated bower
Like men, in dread of hostile power,
Who trust to speed alone.
Mourn for the lovely cabin-home that smiled
On the dim borders of the forest old!
Changed to a scene of desolation wild,
Its arbor, walls and portico, behold!
Though faint the maak of footprints on the mould,
Fearless and fleet avenger will pursue
While shadowy Night comes down on wave and
For captive made, by fell, marauding crew, Is one more dear than life-his partner fond and true!
Eastward the spoilers held their way,
And when the forest-edge was won,
Shone on green leaf and waving spray,
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