ON THE POLARIS.

Hawke's Bay Times, Issue 1566, 10 April 1874, Page 177

ON THE POLARIS.

. "God.will bring us through."— (Journal of John • ' •' •'" Herring.) ' faced with valiant htarts their fate, Exiled upon .their raft of ice ; 'Worn famished, drenched, and desolate; '' Aliens beneath the Polar skies. They did not murmur ; silently Their eyes'unquailing saw their doom To fight, to fail, to waste and die, The black cold wave their nameless tomb, While we on beds of softness lie, ' They sleepless stand through nights of fear, -Pierced by the needles of the sky, '• And visited by visions drear. Wolf-like the winds howl fierce and grim ; The hungry seas, more wolf-like still, 'Snatch at their floe's diminished rim, ' And'4t .their feet their torrents spill. The giant berg above them shone With nodding towers which spectral gleam; Bound it the surges toss and moan. And o or it wild fowl soar and scream. Breast close to manly breast, like rocks, .■ They stand impatient for the day ; Endnre the billows' cruel shocks, Ice-mailed in clouds of freezing spray. The dumb white terror of .the snow, The wheeling gulls, but answer give, And thunder of the rending floe, To every prayer, but still they live. Their cry of .faith, was it unheard ? Far hid in light, One heard and knew : Soared bird-like to Him the true word—- " God sees us, He will bring us through." Gently His finger drew them on ; To where His creatures gave them food, , And softer suns upon them shone, . And lo t< two ships before them stood. Their foith the. mountains did remove, And bore far off each icy crest, And sow they bask in rays of love: He giveth His beloved rest.