To milder stars, and skies of clearer blue,
Sworn foe to arms, at least a-while repair,
And, till to mightier force proud Britain bends,
Despise her triumphs, and deceive thy care.

106

Soon shall the genius of the fertile soil
A new creation to thy view unfold;
Admire the works of Nature's magic hand,
But scorn that vulgar bait, all potent gold.

107

Yet, if persuaded by no lay of mine,
You still admire your climes of frost and snow,
And pleas'd, prefer above our southern groves
The darksome forests, that around thee grow:

108

Still there remain—thy native air enjoy,
Repell the tyrant who thy peace invades,
While, pleas'd, I trace the vales of Santa Cruz,
And sing with rapture her inspiring shades.

[159] Text from the edition of 1786. The poem was first published in the February (1779) issue of the United States Magazine, as a part of an extended article, with the title, "Account of the Island of Santa Cruz: Containing an original Poem on the Beauties of that Island. In a letter to A. P. Esq." The poem is introduced as follows: "I believe the best thing I can do with the rest of this paper is to transcribe a few dull heavy lines which I composed near two years ago on the spot." The poem consisted of fifty-two stanzas, corresponding to the following above: 1-4, 6-10, 14-16, 18-23, 31-34, 39, 40, 48-51, 53, 54, 56, 58-63, 70, 79-82, 85, 88, 96, 98, 100, 101, 104, 106-108. Freneau revised it with a careful hand for his edition of 1786. Some of the lines changed most notably are as follows:

Stanza 1."Less rigorous climes, and a more friendly sky."
6."So some dull minds, in spite of age and care,
Are grown so wedded to this globe below."
39."Sweet spungy plumbs on trees wide spreading hang,
The happy flavour'd pine grows crested from the ground."
51."Where once the Indian dames inchanted slept."
56."Cassada shrubs abound, whose poison root,
Supplies the want of snow-white Northern flour;
This grated fine, and steep'd in water fair,
Forsakes each particle of noxious power."
70."On yonder peaked hill fresh harvests rise,
Where wretched he—the Ethiopian swain."
79."He pants a land of freedom and repose,
Where cruel slavery never sought to reign,
O quit thee them, my muse, and tell me why."
88."But now the winds are past, the storm subsides,
All nature smiles again serenely gay,
The beauteous groves renew'd—how shall I leave
My green retreat at Butler's verdant bay."
96."Fain would I view my native climes again,
But murder marks the cruel Briton there—
Contented here I rest, in spite of pain,
And quaff the enlivening juice in spite of care."
100."The misty night sits heavy on the sea,
Yon lagging sail drags slowly o'er the main,
Night and its kindred glooms are nought to me."
104."Then shepherd haste, and leave behind thee far
The bloody plains and iron glooms above,
Quit thy cold northern star, and here enjoy,
Beneath the smiling skies this land of love."

Each of the later editions passed under the revising pen of Freneau, but the variations consisted largely of verbal changes. As a sample of his revision, note the following: