TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN COOK.

Gisborne Times, Volume VIII, Issue 542, 11 October 1902, Page 4

TO THE MEMORY OF CAPTAIN COOK.

Here on this sunny slopo reclined Wo rest awhile and send our fancy back To days now dimming with the mist of years When first tho white-winged messenger appeared On yon horizon, leading thus the bun Of s ,il and steamboat, heavy-laden barquo And pleasure seeking skiff, and crowded barge. But little more than one brief century Has now elapsed since first tho whito man’s foot Landed upon this shore, and climbod this slopo Casting a seaward glaneo to scan the land And estimate its possibilities. How marvellous the change ! How great the gain ! Dink lay the land in ignorance and crime Man waning dully on bis feliow mail to eke a grim existence ; dark his lot And stained with oloud and horror human needs Uiged him to cruelties which seemed to him The only human virtues ; Yet his soul Knew gentler instincts, stirrings vague within Urged him to catch a music in the wind A whispering of possibilities Beyond his knowledge, hints of bettor tilings In love of child and kindred, generous deeds Of love and self denial, oft his hand Seemed stayed in act of striking by some power To him unknown, honors despairing sigh. And so ho lived and warred until that morn When issuing from his smoky don, lie east A seaward glance and cried in great amaze And mortal terror, pointing to the west, And summoning around him all his kin, They hurried hither to observe the scene And marvel what strange bird is seen afar.

Lo ! Tho herald onward stealing Wings its way to this lone shore To the sleeping land revealing Marvels never dreamed before. Not the only World, your island, Not for you alone ; the sea Though for many ages silent Now reveals its 'mystery. Far away across the waters Lies the great World all unknown To your dusky sons and daughters This, the Harbinger, has flown To your shores glad tidings bringing Of a joyful day to bo Rise, oh land, rejoice with singing Peace comes, with Prosperity ; Plenty’s morn with' gifts e’erfjoy/ing Com and oil outpoured Comforts, ‘."‘“Uiness bestowing With the blessing of the juCK., Whom ye knew not, yet with yearning Bought in wave and tree and shower Often fancied seen in burning. Bush or blossoming of flower. Love and peace and joy and kindness Honest toil with rich reward Banish hunger, want, and blindness Show rich gifts by nature stored Needing knowledge for their culture Tool and seed and beast and skill Drive away the hovering vulture Naturo’s gifts aro yours at will. Methinks I soe tho tanglod bush Bending to kiss the sea Announcing by prophetic hush ' The marvels soon to bo ; The Great Canoo with pinions comes Across tho rippling tvave Bearing a race of pale-faced men Like spectres from the grave Tho Mariner, with steadfast gaze, With caution, care, and skill Selects at once the anchorage Below this shadowing hill, Directs the course and scans tho shoro With thoughtful, earnest eyes Chooses the safest landing-place And bids his crew arise Put forth tho boat for he will land, He knows no doubt nor fear, Nor turns from duty’s stern command For club nor threatening spear ; He walks as one who holds from God A high commission given, He moves and no reward, For Britain" King, and Heavon, Exemplar stern of duty done That risks no recompense He saw tho task and plied the oar, and left tho consequence To Him who guides tho vessels keel And stills the mounting wave, And in His good time will revoal The things beyond tho grave, As thus the gateway opened wide When His design required A man was raised to tit the task Who but the task desired, Who but to taste the salt sea brine And seek the unknown shore Found no delight in meat and wins Nor old World’s varied store; Through years of hardship, joy to him He tireless sailed the main Facing the barren and the grim For our enormous gain.

Well may this gaily moving throng My fancy greets below Gather to-day and bring along Each tribute that they know : Come, maid and matron, youth and sage, And merry girl and boy. His was the savage iemptests rage Yours is the gain and joy He was the willing instrument For God’s most loving hand From him you've plenty, yea your lives Born in this happy land. From him ye gain your heritage See that ye faithful be And learn from him that duty's path Leads straight the way we see, His duty done, he knew no more Though hard the task and strange To other hands he left the oar ; As down tho years we range Zealandias’ children bless his namo And gather here to-day To praise and celebrate his fame And pray, we trust, that they And we, and ours, and ail mankind May learn his lesson given : To do our task with all our mind And leave the ends to Heaven. E. AT, Dk-mf,