CANTO SECOND. It was the morning of a Sabbath day, When Williams rose to Waban's simple cheer, But where, knew not, save that vast forests lay Betwixt his home and the lone wigwam here;" Yet 'twas a place of peace, no thing of clay, "Twixt God and conscience in communion near, Came, with profane and impious control, To check the heavenward wanderings of his soul. II. God loves the wilderness-in deserts lone, Where all is silent-where no living thing Mars the hushed solitudes-where Heaven looks down, The present God-there does he rear his throne, III. And feel his strength within.—This day, once more, Marked the devotions of his feelings deep- Alas! his mind in utter night did sleep; He saw our founder at his earnest prayer, Yet knew not why his supplications were. IV. Yet earnestly the pious man besought, That Heaven would give to shed the gospel light, On the kind pagan's breast, as yet untaught, Save in the ways of an Egyptian night; And much he prayed, that to the truth when brought, V. Williams the task of goodness now essayed, Concealed its workings from our founder's view; VI. He told how God from nothing formed the earth, Placed with kind blessings the first human pair; How, disobeying, they were driven forth, And they, and theirs, consigned to sad despairUntil the God incarnate pitying gave Himself for man, and made it just to save. VII. Then told he how the blessed martyrs bore To their full faith in their Redeemer's name- Salvation's joyful tidings to proclaim; VIII. Waban attentive heard our Founder's strain, And all his heart's deep feelings indicate. IX. Great news Awanux brings the red men here— And the traditions of his sires he'll tell, X. Here Waban paused, and, sitting, mused a space, As pondering gravely on the mighty theme; Deep thought was graven in his solemn face, And dimly did his groping memory seem Gathering the scattered legends of his race. At length he roused, as from a passing dream, And from his mat, majestically slow, Reared his tall form, and thus began in accents low. 66 XI. Brother, that time is distant-far away, When Earth and every living thing was not, Save our great God, Cawtantowit, who lay Extended through immensity, where naught Save shoreless waters were-and dead were theyNo living thing did on their bosom floatAnd silence all that boundless space did fill; For the Great Spirit slept—and all was still. XII. "But though he slept, yet, as the human soul To this small frame, his being did pervade The universal space, and ruled the whole, E'en as the soul, when in deep slumber laid, Doth its wild fantasies and dreams control, And giveth wild creation shape and shade Just as she wills. But the Great Spirit broke His sleep at last, and all the boundless shook. XIII. "In a vast eagle's form embodied, He Did o'er the deep on outstretched pinions spring; Fire in his eye lit all immensity, Whilst his majestically gliding wing Trembled hoarse thunders to the shuddering sea; XIV. “The mountain whale came spouting from below, XV. "Then great Cawtantowit in his anger spoke, And slowly she her rocky grasp forsook, And her huge back of woods and mountains vast, From the far depths tow'rd upper light began Slowly to heave-the affrighted waters ran XVI. "Hither and thither, tumultuous and far But still Unamis, heaving from below The full formed earth, first, through the waves did rear The rolling billows fell—and rising now, All its vast forest up the breezy air Came out of Ocean, and, from verdure fair, XVII. "Shed the salt showers. Far o'er the deep, And rock, and forest waving to the breeze, XVIII. "But great Cawtantowit, on his pinions still, XIX. "Yet man was not-then great Cawtantowit spoke *Sesek-rattlesnake. |