To distant tyrants, sold on distant lands;
Transmitted miseries and successive chains,
The soul-sad heritage, her child obtains.
E’en this last wretched boon their foes deny,
To live together, or together die!
By felon hands, by one relentless stroke,
See the fond links of feeling Nature broke!
The fibres twisting round a parent’s heart,
Torn from their grasp, and bleeding as they part!”
This unfortunate man gave me instances of where he had seen his neighbors hung, some until not quite dead, and then taken down to take the oath of allegiance. In case they refused, they were instantly strung up again.