Ossian Collection > Selections from the Gaelic bards

ALEXANDER MACDONALD. 19
Bending downward on his fist.
And strongly straining,
Hard and fast he must not tie
The tough tight rope ;
He only dares a loose loop try.
Giving it scope
To run freely and to fly,
And murmur hoarse
Round the peg, with hum and cry.
So swift its course.
The reporter of the waters about to be set aside, and just then
the sea getting too rough, the steersman says of him : —
Let a man to watch tlie rain-squall
Quick, come nigh ;
And sharply on the weather's heart
Let him keep his eye.
Choose me a man half-frighten' d,
Cautious, sly;
But not a coward out and out,
And let him pry,
With curious watch, until the shower
He rippling spy ;
Then mark keenly if the gusts
Before, or behind it, fly;
Nor must he let my heedless thoughts
Securely lie.
But wake me up at sight of danger
With an eager cry.
When towards us the drowning waters
Wailing hie ;
He must say, "The beam's thin head
Quick put about 1"
"A breaking wave!" with thunderous accents
Must he shout.
He must thus inform me duly
When danger is nigh ;