Page:Livingstone in Africa.djvu/78

Pointing to them, our Father said to us,—
'With these grim mouths we stop the sale of men!'
And then our Father, very near to death,
Though his white friends would fain have borne him home,
Would suffer not his children to pursue
Alone their arduous perilous return:
'My Makololo boys have served me well,'
Said he, 'and I will not desert them now!'"

Well I remember, O my splendid Sea,
How thy salt breath blew o'er me, as alive!
After interminable deserts drear,
And dank hot jungles of the savage race,
To come upon thee, Ocean, unaware,
Dear native element of all the free!
With British tars, and British hearts of oak,
And the old fiery flag upon the wind!
Tears blind my vision—yonder England lies!
A grey gull, in his strong deliberate fligh,
Hover'd and slanted, dipp'd his breast in brine.
Exulting in the wind and turbulent foam;