Original Poetry. THE LIZARD ROCK. A BALLAD, BY CRAYON.

New Zealander, Volume 3, Issue 107, 9 June 1847, Page 4

Original Poetry. THE L IZ A R D ROCK. A BALLAD, BY CRAYON.

The owl has screamed bis last farewell, to his favorite gloom of nigh, And seeks some spreading foliagcd tree, to hide from dawning light ; The tui whistles loud and shrill, his sweet and varied note, While a thousand warbled melodies arc heard in glades remote ; The dew falls dully from the leaves, the stream is rippling by, The rising sun's reflected beams are colored in the sky. The ocean's rolling surge breaks on the [mountain's bnsc, As though its frantic efforts would the rocky shore defa ;e : And Wakari's burning island on the horizon is seen, J, While the sail of some strange vessel pursues its way between ; The eastern sky is gorgeous, with the tints of opening day, And the beams of rising Phoebus on the azure waters play. The fortress of a native chief is built upon the strand, And full two hundred warriors he numbers in his band; And it has trenches wide and deep, and palisades full strongThere the deeds of its fierce chieftain are often heard in song ; While many a curious carving wrought, by their savage skill, Are placed upon the portals, or the palisadings fill. "Awake! awake!" its chieftain cried, " ye slumbering slaves, awake ! Warriors, too ! and friends, arise ! behold the day does break. Quick, fill our fleetest war-canoes, and arm ye to a man ; Bring club, and spear, the hatchet, too, and I will lead the van. Away ! no sounds of murmuring, let's stem the flowing tide; Your chieftain's in the mood for love— he goes to claim his bride." Up sprung each dusky warrior, and grasped his weapon tight, They rushed from out each smoky house into the morning light. "Ataua," one warrior shouted loud— "A^taua," was echoed round. And two hundred savage voices fiercely repeat the sound ; Till maddened with excitement, they shout the song of war, And swiftly launch their long canoes, and pass the foaming bar. The bark which held the chieftain was a noble one to view, And urged by sixty paddles, like a winged thing she flew; Her head and stem were richly carved, and feathers decked her sides, Which dipp'd amongst the sparkling foam, as on her course she glides ; Her sails were made of water flags, of cumbrous shape, though strong; Prom her stem unto her stern, she Was fifty cubits long. Around the chieftain sat a group of warriors, old and tried, Who had shared in stll his battles, fought with him side by side ; They could not count his years, still they knew him from his birth, For they were men and warriors, when he first stept the earth : His will was law to them, for none would cross his mood, A* they had known him more than once to wash the offence in blood. He had a frame of iron mould, a noble breadth of brow, And round his face on every part, the tattoo'd curvings flow; His eye was soft in kindly mood— but flash'd a glance of fire When either anger or revenge once raised his cruel ire ; His usual mood was merry, with a reckless daring air, But lines of passion in his face showed that the fiend was there. " And, now my friends," the chieftain said, " I bid you mark me well, For the cause of this strange journey, I have yet to tell ; When last we staid at Te Kalia, after the fight was won, We feasted with its warriors, c'en till the setting sun, And there amongst the stranger guests, 1 saw one lovelj giri> With locks as dark as huias plumes, [with teeth like shell-fish pearl. At once I saw and loved the maid, (nay, do not smile so grim, For ye are past the fire of love— its seldom old men's whim) ; I lov'd the girl at once, I say, and much then did ] muse On the fullness and the star- like light which her darl eyes infuse ; And then I vow'd within my breast, that let what wouh betide, By force of arms, by love, or snare, that maid should bi my bride. It was not for her pretty face, alone, I deeply loved, But she'd a tall and graceful form, a glance that passioi moved ; And when she stept amongst the throng, 'twas with ; haughty air, That seemed to check, at once, the gaze of youthfu chieftains there j— I saw a spirit like my own, one that disdain'd to fear, And to obtain this haughty maid, this day I brough you here. Then, shout the song, my gallant crew, and dive you paddles deep, And wake the finny sprites below, from out their gloom; sleep ; They'll fancy that some taniwa is rushing through th sea, When they behold the whiten'd foam of our waka dane ing free. Tena, Tena, the sea song shout— she flies like gusts c wind, Our sea- girt home is fading in the distance far behind. The vessels, ere the sun was down, had reached th destined pah, It was a bluff of lofty rocks, a 'vantage ground for war One little sandy beach alone, told the strangers whei to land, And swiftly they the long canoes hauled up on to tr. strand : , The shout of welcome reached their ears, from loft rocks on high, And soon they mingled with those groups in feast ar revelry.

Twas long our chieftain looked in vain, among the crowded mass, fc.nd narrowly he scanned each group, as they around him pass, For her tall form— the maid he loved— hut no where could he see rhe haughty heauty, who had caused him such anxiety ; At last he made his mind content to wait the dawning light, [f it should chance to bring her form within his eager sight. He rose, and in a manly tone greeted th' assembled throng, And spake of mutual friendship, which had existed long ; lie came not to break the tie— he valued it too well, Hut still ho had an errand, which he would boldly tell ; 'Twas one which gave no cause for fear, but might excits a smile — He came, in fact, to seek a wife, who would his cares beguile. The daughters of his tribe, he said, had never gained his love, Though fair, indeed, they were not such as could his passion move ; But when he looked around him, he fancied there were some Worthy to mate a chieftain, and enrich a chieftain's home ; And might he claim the privilege, of staying as their guest, He did not doubt but ere he went, the maid would stand confest. The aged chief, who ruled the tribe, answered in courteous mood, That nought could yield more pleasure than to be allied in bloodTo one so famed for daring deeds, who sprung from sires as brave, Whose memories remained behind, though they were m the grave ; " And truly, noble chief," he said, " I'm proud to see you here, And give my full consent, you choose amongst the maidens here." Conjecture and suspicion, now, was banished from each breast, When the host* had heard the mission winch had brought their warlike guest; The hungi's soon began to smoke, and quick were filled with food, With heaps of the rich kumera, and ti from out the wood ; And slaughtered swine were dragging in, and placing on the fire, With all tbat in his hungry mood, a chieftaiu could desire. Among the groups advancing, and carrying the food, He spied the very maid he sought; she by the portal stood ; And by her side a handsome youth, was breathing in her ear Something which seemed to please her, for she bent her head to hear ; And all the pangs of jealousy, rushed through the chieftain's heart, As he saw that too agreeably, the lover play'd his part, She came up with a group of girls, who laughed in merry glee, And whisper'd her the errand, which brought him o'er the sea : He smiled with pleasure as her eyes glanced on his manly face, But her's exprcss'd but coldness, and she turned and ♦left the place ; Yet looking once, she gave a glance, half curious, hal; in scornThat look, it rankled in a breast too much by passion torn. That night, he bade his chiefs to note, the house in whicli she slept, This soon was known to one of them, in cunning ar adept ; ' He marked the entrance, and the means, by which h< could succeed In seizing on the sleeping girl, when his chieftair should have need : 'Twas midnight ere the hosts were wrapt in dreamy sleep, And the moon she threw a glittering track across th» ocean deep. It might be near the dawn of day, when suddenly a shriek, And rushing feet, and smothered words, on the deep stillness break : The shrieks redouble, and the sound of angry voices rise, The sleeping hosts are wakened, but the chieftain has his prize ; The swift canoes are on the sea, and dashing through the foam— The chieftain bears his stolen bride unto his fortress home. No courtesy or kindly word could check the maiden's tears, And nothing seemed to dissipate her dark and gloomy fears; But she wrapt her mantle round her head, and leant upon her knee, Weeping aloud her bitter grief, her sense of misery ; And when they landed on the shore, he bore her in his arms, And leit her with his female kin, to banish her alarmi. The morning came — he wooed the maid, and now her tears were gone, And from her eyes, instead, gleamed a flashing look o: scorn ; She sat in sullen silence, nor deign'd a word to say, Nor changed her moody manner for many a weary day But still her lordly chieftain swore, that let what woult betide, Both lovingly'and willingly, she should become his bride One morn he roused his sleeping tribe, and in a plea> sant mood, He bade them launch his war-canoe, upon the oceai flood ; He bore his still unwilling bride, and placed her by hi side, And sixty nervous rowers soon forced her through th< tide : " Now, bear me to the Lizard's Rock!" said the chief tain to his crew, And nibhing o'er the curling wave away they swiftl; flewj The bride she sat in silence, and with a sullen look, Much she wondered in her mind, why this strange cours he took ; And then she thought upon her love, and then her tear fell fast, And then she wished the chief and crew were in th ocean cast ; And when they neared the Lizard's Rock— a nativ woman's dread— Her fears they were redoubled, nnd her courage near! fled.

The chieftain and his bride, alone, were left upon the shore, It was a barren rock, in length two hundred yards or more, And on it there were blackened holes, where lizard's heads were seen Peeping from out these loathsome spots, or through the sea-weed green ; And ocean surges made their way, through caverns under ground, Like peals of distant thunder, as against the rocks they bound. The chieftain kindled up a fire of wood from the canoe, The bride sat on the island's edge, yet still within his view; Her head wrapped up within her mat, she looked down from the steep, Tempted by every gloomy thought, to leap into the deep— For thus she said within her mind, 'tis better thus to die, Than live to be this chieftain's slave, a lot of misery ! The day past on, but not a word exchang'd between the pair, Their bridal couch it was the rock— their canopy the air; The setting sun with golden hue, colored the beauteous sky, And ocean's swelling waves came on, and dashed their spray on high ; The sea-gull fluttered o'er the isle, where he had built his nest, And wildly scrsamedjiis, discontent, at those who broke his rest. The gloom of night at last set in, the fire was kindling bright, There sat the bridegroom by its side, his face in glimmering light ; The lizards crawled from out their holes, the maiden shrunk with fear, As she fancied that the reptiles were approaching her so near ; She thought upon her lover— then she glanced towards the chief, And then a woman's weakness came, and tears to its relief. She thought upon her lover, but he could not help her now, And she turned back to the memory of their often plighted vow ; "While thinking thus, in melting mood, she saw the hideous head Of a monster lizard, crawling from out his slimy bed ; She saw his quick and glistening eyes, approaching her quite near, While from her lips one shriek escaped— she rose in sudden fear.

'Twas now her blood rushed wild and fast— there was no hand to shield, Save him who sat so unconcerned, to him she'd never yield ; Yet, still she said, "he's noble blood," and by the fire's bright light, She thought his eye looked kind and soft as pitying her affright ; And then besides his deeds in arms, stampt him a warrior brave, And then she wished that she was dead, and buried in her grave. She raised her eyes to pierce the gloom, when, lo ! before her view, The loathsome thing was crawling near, from which she lately flew ; Grown bolder in the darkness, it made a sudden bound, And lit upon her garment, which hung loosely on the ground ; She sprang back with sudden terror, and fled towards the chief, "Who received her fainting form, and gently soothed her grief. She hardly knew, poor startled girl, that moment where to fly, But leant upon the chieftain's breast, and piteously did cry; While the chieftain, with a manly voice, breathed comfort in her ear, Kindly he soothed her troubled mind, and kiss'd away her tear; As she listened to his accents, she wondered in her mind, That to so good a lover, she could have been unkind. The lizards roam about the rock, in undisturbed play i The flickering embers of the fire have almost died away ; There's a sign upon the eastern sky, which tells of coming light, And the sea-mew on his lofty nest, has spread his wings for flight ; And the bridal couch of love is spread, and happiness is there, For the warrior chief's fulfilled his vow, and won the wayward fair. Before the sun had topp'd the hills, the canoes were on the sea Towards the rock, with much surmise, at what the event would be ; Arriving, on a jutting clifl> they saw the chieftain and his bride, I Around his neck her arm was thrown, and sitting by I his side ; E'en through the darkness of her skin, & mantling blush did rise, "When she beheld the curious looks, which spoke a strange surprise.

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