Page:Modern poets and poetry of Spain.djvu/208

162 Of heap'd-up ice in mountains, the South Pole

Emits immense, loud thundering through the waves

To glide, and on the adventurous seaman roll.

Nor with less clamour loosen'd from their caves

Rush the black tempests, when the East and North,

Troubling the heavens enraged in furious war,

And dire encounter, all their strength put forth,

And shake the centre of the globe afar.

Thrice the fierce islander advanced to break

Our squadron's wall, confiding in his might:

Thrice by the Spanish force repulsed, to shake

His hopes of victory he sees the fight.

Who shall depict his fury and his rage,

When with that flag before so proud he saw

The flag of Spain invincible engage?

'T is not to skill or valour to o'erawe,

Solely he trusts to fortune for success.

Doubling his ships, redoubling them again, From poop to prow, from side to side to press,

In an unequal fight is made sustain

Each Spanish ship a thousand, thousand fires;

And they with equal breath that death receive

So send it back. No, not to my desires,

If heaven would grant it me, could I achieve

The task that day's heroic deeds to tell,

Not with a hundred tongues; hid from the sun