See many a bark that swan-like floats the tide Steal rapid round the fair Cantabrian shore. Daughters of luxury, your frail heads hide! ’Tis women’s arms that ply the lusty oar That hostile castle’s bristling wall before. A patriot impulse bids them proudly dare (Was never seen the like!) the batteries’ roar, Their fruits and wine with the besiegers share, And bless the arms upraised to guard Iberia fair! XVIII. Isaro’s sunlit isle her dark-eyed maids Sends laden with the grape’s delicious bloom; Guerníca from its close embowering shades Sends clustered muscatel whose globes illume Bright tints of amber. Ondarróa’s gloom Of archéd boughs gives golden apples forth, Fair as on Hesperus’ dragon drew the doom; Ripe Ceres’ gifts of Deba prove the worth; And bland Zumaya opes her garden of the north. XIX. Brown nuts and almonds from Cestona’s groves, Soft melons come from Castro’s silvery streams; The small black olive that the mountain loves From Orrio’s hills ’mid peach and nectarine gleams. Palencia sends her wine which most esteems The midnight watcher on the tented field, With blissful thoughts to stimulate his dreams When, the watch ended, soon his eyes are sealed By Heaven’s physician, sleep, and all his sorrows healed. XX. Berméo’s vines of green most tender send Black clusters soft with purple bloom bespread; And where her gnarled and twisted fig-trees bend ’Neath load of luscious fruit their dark green head, The gathered treasure for a feast is shed. The quince sweet-flavoured, and the juicy gourd, The beautiful love-apple coral-red, And curd-white cheese (an Arcady restored) For Valour’s sons they bring to spread the ambrosial board. XXI. Bright-eyed Biscayan maids, as shapely tall As Atlas’ daughter in her sun-lit isle Led in the dance through flowery vale and knoll, Mother of streams while Tethys fair the while The chorus blest with an approving smile. The lively movements of the Vascon race, The Tartar glance, the ringing laugh where guile Ne’er enters, brown yet blooming charms of face, And teeth of dazzling lustre lend uncommon grace. XXII. Their hair dark shining shamed the raven’s wing, In tresses long their shoulders floating down, With ribands gay confined or silken string, Or slight embroidered veil the head to crown. Of gold and pearl some covet the renown, Pendent from prettiest ears; with coral some Their necks encircle. Camisoles each gown Surmount, gallooned with silk or silver from Shoulder to waist so fair that Envy’s self is dumb. XXIII.