To hold a rope or hear a curse was none—

170

He toil'd and rail'd; he groan'd and swore alone.

Thus by himself compell'd to live each day,

To wait for certain hours the tide's delay;

At the same times the same dull views to see,

The bounding marsh-bank and the blighted tree;

The water only when the tides were high;

When low, the mud half-cover'd and half-dry;

The sun-burnt tar that blisters on the planks,