They hoist! away the flitting ruins fly: Yet Albert new resources still prepares, Conceals his grief, and doubles all his cares-- "Away there! lower the mizen-yard on deck," He calls, "and brace the foremost yards aback!" His great example every bosom fires, New life rekindles and new hope inspires: 910 While to the helm unfaithful still she lies, One desperate remedy at last he tries-- "Haste! with your weapons cut the shrouds and stay, And hew at once the mizen-mast away!" He said: to cut the girding stay they run, Soon on each side the sever'd shrouds are gone: Fast by the fated pine bold Rodmond stands, The impatient axe hung gleaming in his hands; Brandish'd on high, it fell with dreadful sound, The tall mast, groaning, felt the deadly wound; 920 Deep gash'd beneath, the tottering structure rings, And crashing, thundering, o'er the quarter swings. Thus, when some limb, convulsed with pangs of death, Imbibes the gangrene's pestilential breath, The experienced artist from the blood betrays The latent venom, or its course delays; But if the infection triumphs o'er his art, Tainting the vital stream that warms the heart, To stop the course of death's inflaming tides, The infected member from the trunk divides. 930 [Footnote 1: 'Jove's high hill:' Dicte.] [Footnote 2: 'Dark scud:' scud is a name given by seamen to the lowest clouds, which are driven with great rapidity along the atmosphere, in squally or tempestuous weather.] [Footnote 3: 'Leeward:' When the wind crosses a ship's course either directly or obliquely, that side of the ship, upon which it acts, is called the weather-side; and the opposite one, which is then pressed downwards, is called the lee-side. Hence all the rigging and furniture of the ship are, at this time, distinguished by the side on which they are situated; as the lee-cannon, the lee-braces, the weather-braces, &c.] [Footnote 4: 'Top-sails:' the top-sails are large square sails of the second degree in height and magnitude.] [Footnote 5: 'Reef:' reefs are certain divisions or spaces by which the principal sails are reduced when the wind increases; and again enlarged proportionally when its force abates.] [Footnote 6: 'Halyards and top-bow-lines:' halyards are either single ropes or tackles, by which the sails are hoisted up and lowered when the sail is to be extended or reduced. Bow-lines are ropes intended to keep the windward-edge of the sail steady, and prevent it from shaking in an unfavourable wind.]