Thrice, when o’ermatched in fight,
He sailed through Hell Gate, light
As sea-mew out of sight
Through tempest-clouds careering,
While ships for war arrayed,
The treach’rous rocks delayed,
Or there forever staid—
To Pluto’s realms steering!
Once, sweeping o’er the Sound,
Amid the dark profound,
These fateful words resound—
“A foe!—They must defend her!”
While a frigate on their course
Hailed them in stormy Norse,
Shrill, clear and free, then hoarse,
Demanding their surrender!
Laden with golden store,
The Pirate sunk in shore
A thousand bars or more
Before he joined in battle:
Then roared his guns amain,
Then poured his iron rain.
Till groaned the decks with slain,
Mid spars’ and cables’ rattle.
Down went the Norseman brave,
Down to his sea-green grave,
No more to be a slave
Where the dark norns[A] bewilder!—
Athwart the morning skies
The wheeling sea-bird flies
And mocks the coral’s rise,
Old Neptune’s silent builder.
The Pirate’s buried gold
Sands of the Sound still hold,
Nor wizard’s wand has told
The place of its concealing;
Yet, ere the Corsair died,
He sought these waters wide
More spoil, perhaps, to hide,
Or this, perchance, revealing
Ere Fortune frowned again,
That oft had brought him pain,
Instead of golden gain,
The only thing he cherished,
Save her he wed of yore,
Save the bright child she bore,
His blue-eyed Leonore—
For these he would have perished!
But ere he spread his sail,
To catch the westward gale,
His vassals, growing pale,
Sighed at the words then spoken;—
Hushed was the wassail all
Within the castle hall,
And shadows on the wall
Grew phantom-like and broken.
For, o’er the Corsair grim,
There came a wayward whim
That hither should sail with him
His daughter Leonore,
Who, bright and beautiful,
Was always dutiful,
With pride not yet too full
She left her island shore.
Her father’s castle there
Soon fades, a speck in air,
With banners floating fair
From loop and turret, waning.
Then on the deck—alone—
She knelt to Nature’s Throne,
Whose God rules there—unknown—
The mighty billows chaining.
Unknown her father’s trade,
Unseen his reeking blade,
Not yet had that sweet maid
Found he was cruel-hearted;
For, guarded in her home,
Whene’er his ship did come,
She, not allowed to roam,
Ne’er from her mother parted.