TWICE one long year elaps'd, when letters came,

480

Which briefly told him of his father's death.

Afflicted, filial, yet to Heaven refign'd,

Soon he reach'd Albion, and as foon embark'd,

Eager to clafp the object of his love.

BLOW, profperous breezes; fwiftly fail, thou Po: Swift fail'd the Po, and happy breezes blew.

485

IN Biscay's stormy feas an armed fhip,
Of force fuperiour, from loud Charente's wave
Clapt them on board. The frighted' flying crew
Their colours ftrike; when dauntless Junio, fir'd
With noble indignation, kill'd the chief,
Who on the bloody deck dealt flaughter round.
The Gauls retreat; the Britons loud huzza;
And touch'd with shame, with emulation stung,
So plied their cannon, plied their miffil fires,
That foon in air the hapless Thunderer blew.

BLOW profperous breezes, swiftly fail thou Po,
May no more dangerous fights retard thy way!

SOON Porto Santo's rocky heights they fpy,

490

495

VER. 499. Porto Santo] This is one of the Madeira iflands, and of course fubject to the King of Portugal. It lies in 32.33 degrees of N. latitude. It is neither fo fruitful nor fo large as Madeira Proper, and is chiefly peopled by convicts, &c.

Like

Like clouds dim rifing in the diftant sky.

500

Glad Eurus whiftles; laugh the sportive crew;

Each fail is fet to catch the favouring gale,
While on the yard-arm the harpooner fits,
Strikes the boneta, or the fhark infnares.
The little nautilus with purple pride
Expands his fails, and dances o'er the waves:
Small winged fishes on the shrouds alight;
And beauteous dolphins gently played around.

595

VER. 504. The boneta] This fifh, which is equal in fize to the largest salmon, is only to be found in the warm latitudes. It is not a delicate food, but those who have lived for any length of time on falt meats at fea, do not diflike it. Sir Hans Sloane, in his voyage to Jamaica, describes the method of ftriking them.

VER. 504. Or the fhark] This voracious fish needs no defcription; I have feen them from 15 to 20 foot long. Some naturalifts call it Canis Carharias. They have been known to follow a flave-fhip from Guinea to the West Indies. They fwim with incredible celerity, and are found in fome of the warmer feas of Europe, as well as between the tropics.

VER. 505. nautilus] This fifh the seamen call a Portuguese man of war. It makes a most beautiful appearance on the water.

VER. 507. winged fifhes] This extraordinary fpecies of fifh is only found in the warm latitudes. Being purfued in the water by a fifh of prey called Albacores, they betake themselves in fhoals to flight, and in the air are often fnapt up by the Garayio, a fea fowl. They fometimes fall on the fhrouds or decks of ships. They are well tafted, and commonly fold at Barbadoes.

VER. 508. Dolphins] This is a most beautiful fish, when first taken out of the fea; but its beauty vanishes, almoft as foon as it is dead.

THO' fafter than the Tropic-bird they flew,

Oft Junio cried, ah! when fhall we fee land?

510

Soon land they made: and now in thought he clafpt

His Indian bride, and deem'd his toils o'erpaid.

SHE, no lefs amorous, every evening walk'd

On the cool margin of the purple main,

Intent her Junio's veffel to defcry.

515

ONE eve, (faint calms for many a day had rag'd,)

The winged dæmons of the tempest rose;

Thunder, and rain, and lightning's awful power.

She fled: could innocence, could beauty claim

Exemption from the grave; the æthereal Bolt,

That stretch'd her fpeechlefs, o'er her lovely head
Had innocently roll'd.

520

MEAN while, impatient Junio lept afhore,

Regardless of the Dæmons of the ftorm.

Ah youth! what woes, too great for man to bear,

525

Are ready to burst on thee? Urge not fo

Thy flying courfer. Soon Theana's porch

VER. 509. Tropic-bird] The French call this bird Fregate, on account of its fwift flying. It is only to be met with in the warm latitudes.

Receiv'd him: at his fight, the antient flaves
Affrighted fhriek, and to the chamber point :-
Confounded, yet unknowing what they meant,
He entered hafty.

AH! what a fight for one who lov'd fo well!

All pale and cold, in every feature death,

539

Theana lay; and yet a glimpse of joy

Played on her face, while with faint, faultering voice,
She thus addreft the youth, whom yet fhe knew.

535

"WELCOME, my Junio, to thy native shore!

Thy fight repays this fummons of my fate :

"Live, and live happy; fometimes think of me: "By night, by day, you ftill engag'd my care;

540

"And next to God, you now my thoughts employ:
Accept of thisMy little all I give;
"Would it were larger"- Nature could no more;
She look'd, embrac'd him, with a groan expir'd.

BUT fay, what ftrains, what language can express
The thousand pangs, which tore the lover's breast ?
Upon her breathlefs corfe himself he threw,
And to her clay-cold lips, with trembling hafte,

545

Ten

M 2

Ten thousand kiffes gave. He ftrove to speak;
Nor words he found: he clafpt her in his arms;
He figh'd, he fwoon'd, look'd up, and died away.

ONE grave contains this hapless, faithful pair;

And fill the Cane-ifles tell their matchless love!

550

The END of Book II.