Poetry > Lady of the lake

Canto I.
THE CHASE.
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But, when the sun his beacon red
Had kindled on Benvoirlich’s head,
The deep-mouth’d blood-hound’s heavy hay
Resounded up the rocky way,1
And faint, from farther distance home,
Were heard the clanging hoof and horn.
II.
As Chief, who hears his warder call.
“ To arms ! the foemen storm the wall,'
The antler’d monarch of the waste
Sprung from his heathery couch in haste.
But, ere his fleet career he took,
The dew-drops from his flanks he shook;
Like crested leader proud and high,
Toss’d his beam’d frontlet to the sky ;
A moment gazed adown the dale,
A moment snuff’d the tainted gale,
A moment listen’d to the cry,
That thicken’d as the chase drew nigh;
Then, as the headmost foes appear’d,
With one brave bound the copse he cleared,
And, stretching forward free and far,
Sought the wild heaths of Uam-Var.s
- [MS.—“ The blood-hound’s notes of heavy bass
Resounded hoarsely up the pass.”]
2 [Uarvar, as the name is pronounced, or more properly UaiyK-
mor, is a mountain to the north-east of the village of Callender
in Menteith, deriving its name, which signifies the great den, or