Blair Collection > Galic antiquities

A P O E M. 209
Selma in the filence of grief. Two tombs, as we go, lift their
green heads before us on the heath. On earth between them
Murno lies. None faid unto the chief, Arife. All lie on the grafs
around, and liflen to the mournful tale of his children.
" Morning rofe on the ifle of Croma, and the horn of my fon
was heard. Three gray dogs leap around him, and lift their cars
with joy at the found of his qtiiver. They bound in their flvifF
through the ftrait, and purfue the dark-brown deer of Croma.
With evening we fee the fkifF return. The waves arife on the
deep. The fkiff is feen at times on their white tops : but, fuddcn-
finking, it difappears. In vain we look for it again; it is concealed
in the fea, or in night.
" My foul trembled for my fon. But old as I was, what could
I do ? — I bade the years that were paft return ; but they heard me
not. The path of their courfe was diflant, and the voice of Mur^
no was feeble. My daughter too fhrieked, and fhook my aged
foul, as fliakes theblaftthe dry leaf of the defart. — ' O my brother!
my brother of love ! in the ftorm art thou loft ? — Art thou loft,
my brother !'
" To the fliore fhe ruflaed. Diftradled, wild were her looks.
The fea had Ihrunk from a dark rock. To its tops are the fteps
of the maid. Her looks and her cries are towards the deep. ' My
brother, my only brother of love, doft thou not hear the cry of
thy fifter ?'
" Dim appears a dark fpot on the foamy top of a wave.- — ' Is that
the wandering ooze ; or is it thou, my brother ?' He heard her
voice ; and with one faint note he replied. Fear and joy divide,
by turns, her foul. — Two of the gray dogs had reached the fliore :
D d the