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Air—Bruce’s Address.
I MANY a day and wasted year | |
| Bright has left its footsteps here, | |
| Since was broke the warrior’s spear, | |
| And our fathers bled. | |
| Still the tall trees, arching, shake | 5 |
| Where the fleet deer by the lake, | |
| As he dash’d through birch and brake. | |
| From the hunter fled. | |
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II In these ancient woods so bright, | |
| That are full of life and light, | 10 |
| Many a dark, mysterious rite | |
| The stern warriors kept. | |
| But their altars are bereft, | |
| Fall’n to earth, and strewn and cleft, | |
| And a holier faith is left | 15 |
| Where their fathers slept. | |
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III From their ancient sepulchres, | |
| Where amid the giant firs, | |
| Moaning loud, the high wind stirs, | |
| Have the red men gone. | 20 |
| Tow’rd the setting sun that makes | |
| Bright our western hills and lakes, | |
| Faint and few, the remnant takes | |
| Its sad journey on. | |
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IV Where the Indian hamlet stood, | 25 |
| In the interminable wood, | |
| Battle broke the solitude, | |
| And the war-cry rose; | |
| Sudden came the straggling shot | |
| Where the sun looked on the spot | 30 |
| That the trace of war would blot | |
| Ere the day’s faint close. | |
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V Low the smoke of battle hung; | |
| Heavy down the lake it swung, | |
| Till the death wail loud was sung | 35 |
| When the night shades fell; | |
| And the green pine, waving dark, | |
| Held within its shattered bark | |
| Many a lasting scathe and mark, | |
| That a tale could tell. | 40 |
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VI And the story of that day | |
| Shall not pass from earth away, | |
| Nor the blighting of decay | |
| Waste our liberty; | |
| But within the river’s sweep | 45 |
| Long in peace our vale shall sleep | |
| And free hearts the record keep | |
| Of this jubilee. | |
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