And then the night fell dark, and all night long The pointed mountain pointed at the stars, Frozen, alert, austere; the eagle's song Screamed from her desolate screes and splintered scars. On her intense crags where the air is sparse The stars looked down; their many golden eyes Watched her and burned, burned out, and came to rise. Silent the finger of the summit stood, Icy in pure, thin air, glittering with snows. Then the sun's coming turned the peak to blood, And in the rest-house the muleteers arose. And all day long, where only the eagle goes, Stones, loosened by the sun, fall; the stones falling Fill empty gorge on gorge with echoes calling. EXPLANATIONS OF SOME OF THE SEA TERMS USED IN THE POEM +Backstays+. Wire ropes which support the masts against lateral and after strains. +Barney's bull+. A figure in marine proverb. A jewel in marine repartee. +Bells+. Two bells (one forward, one aft), which are struck every half-hour in a certain manner to mark the passage of the watches. +Bitts+. Strong wooden structures (built round each mast) upon which running rigging is secured. +Block+. A sheaved pulley. +Boatswain+. A supernumerary or idler, generally attached to the mate's watch, and holding considerable authority over the crew. +Bouilli tin+. Any tin that contains, or has contained, preserved meat. +Bows+. The forward extremity of a ship. +Brace-blocks+. Pulleys through which the braces travel. +Braces+. Ropes by which the yards are inclined forward or aft. +Bumboat pan+. Soft bread sold by the bumboat man, a kind of sea costermonger who trades with ships in port. +Bunt+. Those cloths of a square sail which are nearest to the mast when the sail is set. The central portion of a furled square sail. The human abdomen (figuratively). +Buntlines+. Ropes which help to confine square sails to the yards in the operation of furling. +Chocks+. Wooden stands on which the boats rest. +Cleats+. Iron or wooden contrivances to which ropes may be secured. +Clew-lines+. Ropes by which the lower corners of square sails are lifted. +Clews+. The lower corners of square sails. +Clipper+. A title of honour given to ships of more than usual speed and beauty. +Coaming+. The raised rim of a hatchway; a barrier at a doorway to keep water from entering. +Courses+. The large square sails set upon the lower yards of sailing ships. The mizen course is called the "crojick." +Cringled+. Fitted with iron rings or cringles, many of which are let into sails or sail-roping for various purposes. +Crojick+ (or cross-jack). A square sail set upon the lower yard of the mizen mast. +Dungarees+. Thin blue or khaki-coloured overalls made from cocoanut fibre. +Fairleads+. Rings of wood or iron by means of which running rigging is led in any direction. +Fife-rails+. Strong wooden shelves fitted with iron pins, to which ropes may be secured. +Fish-hooks+. _I.e._, fingers.