Of their fierce fathers; and the savage soul, Nursed e'en in youth on thoughts in carnage dyed, Instinctively, with simultaneous swell, Sent from their lips the unfledged battle yell. LXIV. Their little bows they twanged with threatening mien, (For they were gone to Potowomet's fires), Our Founder's guide, they might have caught the tone Of their young urchins, and the hatchet thrown. LXV. Still village after village smoked; the woods All swarmed with life as forward still they fared; For numbers great, but not for multitudes So numberless, had Williams been prepared; Was it for him to tamper with the moods Of these fierce savages, whose arms were bared, Whose souls were ripe, and stalwart bodies trim, For the wild revelry of slaughter grim? LXVI. How could he hope a safe abiding place, That naught of laws divine or human knew; Their hearts as hard 's the tomahawks they threw : Would his temerity by Heaven be blest? Would God nurse zephyrs on the whirlwind's breast? LXVII. Whilst musing thus, and onward moving still, And downward gazed.— Far stretched beneath appears Rise from the midmost groves, and o'er the trees, LXVIII. And now to sight, through leafless boughs revealed, Men painted, plumed, and armed with weapons sheen, And flashing clear or by the trees concealed, — Glimmering again and waved with threatening mien, The lifted tomahawks and lances bright Seemed to forestall the the frenzied joy of fight. LXIX. Mixed with the sound of voices and of feet, Till at a sudden pause, did thrilling come LXX. As 'twere from frantic demons. And the face This heart grows big — it cannot ask for peace; Than hear the spirits of its sires complain, LXXI. "Waban," said Williams, "dost thou fear to go? Wilt thou thy Yengee sachem leave alone? How will thy Sagamore the speeches know, If homeward now his messenger should run? Not thou, but I will ask the haughty foe To quench his fires, and quell the dance begun ; But for thy safety, thou the calumet Shalt bear beside me, till the chiefs are met.' LXXII. "6 Waban," he answered, "never shook with fear, Nor left his Sachem when he needed friends; It is the thought of many a by-gone year That kindles wrath within my breast, and sends Through all this frame, my boiling blood on fire! -Still Waban on his pale-faced chief attends, But bears no pipe; - the Wampanoag's pride LXXIII. "Waban, at least, will smoke the pipe awhile?" It calms the troubled waves of memory's tide." The grateful offer seemed to reconcile. The peaceful emblem to the warrior's pride: He fills the bowl he wakes the kindling fire And o'er his head the curling clouds aspire. LXXIV. And whilst he sits, the sylvan muse will string Strange omens, dark dominion to maintain; By Sesek wrought—which seemed the feat of Hell. CANTO FOURTH. [SCENE. The Narraganset Camp at Potowomet.] THE twain have left the height, and sought the glade Where the red warriors wheel the martial dance; II. Hundreds on hundreds thronged the glade, I ween, III. But chiefly tow'rd the centre pressed the throngs And when he ceased, in leaps his lance pursued ; |