Had her bewilder’d mind the power Of thought in this terrific hour, She well might marvel where or how Man’s foot could scale that mountain’s brow, Since ne’er had Arab heard or known Of path but through the glen alone.— But every thought was lost in fear, When, as their bounding bark drew near The craggy base, she felt the waves Hurry them tow’rd those dismal caves, That from the Deep in windings pass Beneath that Mount’s volcanic mass;— And loud a voice on deck commands To lower the mast and light the brands!— Instantly o’er the dashing tide Within a cavern’s mouth they glide, Gloomy as that eternal Porch Through which departed spirits go:— Not e’en the flare of brand and torch Its flickering light could further throw Than the thick flood that boil’d below. Silent they floated—as if each Sat breathless, and too aw’d for speech In that dark chasm, where even sound Seem’d dark,—so sullenly around The goblin echoes of the cave Mutter’d it o’er the long black wave, As ’twere some secret of the grave! But soft—they pause—the current turns Beneath them from its onward track;— Some mighty, unseen barrier spurns The vexed tide, all foaming, back, And scarce the oars’ redoubled force Can stem the eddy’s whirling force; When, hark!—some desperate foot has sprung Among the rocks—the chain is flung— The oars are up—the grapple clings, And the toss’d bark in moorings swings. Just then, a day-beam through the shade Broke tremulous—but, ere the maid Can see from whence the brightness steals, Upon her brow she shuddering feels A viewless hand, that promptly ties A bandage round her burning eyes; While the rude litter where she lies, Uplifted by the warrior throng, O’er the steep rocks is borne along. Blest power of sunshine!—genial Day, What balm, what life is in thy ray! To feel thee is such real bliss, That had the world no joy but this, To sit in sunshine calm and sweet,— It were a world too exquisite For man to leave it for the gloom, The deep, cold shadow of the tomb. E’en HINDA, though she saw not where Or whither wound the perilous road, Yet knew by that awakening air, Which suddenly around her glow’d, That they had risen from darkness then, And breath’d the sunny world again!