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(Excerpt)
WHERE the sea-waves back and forward, hoarse with rolling pebbles, ran, | |
| The garrison-house stood watching on the gray rocks of Cape Ann; | |
| On its windy site uplifting gabled roof and palisade, | |
| And rough walls of unhewn timber with the moonlight overlaid. | |
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| On his slow round walked the sentry, south and eastward looking forth | 5 |
| O’er a rude and broken coast-line, white with breakers stretching north,— | |
| Wood and rock and gleaming sand-drift, jagged capes, with bush and tree, | |
| Leaning inland from the smiting of the wild and gusty sea. | |
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| Before the deep-mouthed chimney, dimly lit by dying brands, | |
| Twenty soldiers sat and waited, with their muskets in their hands; | 10 |
| On the rough-hewn oaken table the venison haunch was shared, | |
| And the pewter tankard circled slowly round from beard to beard. | |
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| Long they sat and talked together,—talked of wizards Satan-sold; | |
| Of all ghostly sights and noises,—signs and wonders manifold; | |
| Of the spectre-ship of Salem, with the dead men in her shrouds, | 15 |
| Sailing sheer above the water, in the loom of morning clouds; | |
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| Of the marvellous valley hidden in the depths of Gloucester woods, | |
| Full of plants that love the summer,—blooms of warmer latitudes; | |
| Where the Arctic birch is braided by the tropic’s flowery vines, | |
| And the white magnolia-blossoms star the twilight of the pines! | 20 |
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| But their voices sank yet lower, sank to husky tones of fear, | |
| As they spake of present tokens of the powers of evil near; | |
| Of a spectral host, defying stroke of steel and aim of gun; | |
| Never yet was ball to slay them in the mould of mortals run! | |
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| Thrice, with plumes and flowing scalp-locks, from the midnight wood they came,— | 25 |
| Thrice around the block-house marching, met, unharmed, its volleyed flame; | |
| Then, with mocking laugh and gesture, sunk in earth or lost in air, | |
| All the ghostly wonder vanished, and the moonlit sands lay bare. | |
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| Midnight came; from out the forest moved a dusky mass that soon | |
| Grew to warriors, plumed and painted, grimly marching in the moon. | 30 |
| “Ghosts or witches,” said the captain, “thus I foil the Evil One!” | |
| And he rammed a silver button, from his doublet, down his gun. | |
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| Once again the spectral horror moved the guarded wall about; | |
| Once again the levelled muskets through the palisades flashed out, | |
| With that deadly aim the squirrel on his tree-top might not shun | 35 |
| Nor the beach-bird seaward flying with his slant wing to the sun. | |
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| Like the idle rain of summer sped the harmless shower of lead. | |
| With a laugh of fierce derision, once again the phantoms fled; | |
| Once again, without a shadow on the sands the moonlight lay, | |
| And the white smoke curling through it drifted slowly down the bay! | 40 |
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| “God preserve us!” said the captain; “never mortal foes were there; | |
| They have vanished with their leader, Prince and Power of the air! | |
| Lay aside your useless weapons; skill and prowess naught avail; | |
| They who do the Devil’s service wear their master’s coat of mail!” | |
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| So the night grew near to cock-crow, when again a warning call | 45 |
| Roused the score of weary soldiers watching round the dusky hall: | |
| And they looked to flint and priming, and they longed for break of day; | |
| But the captain closed his Bible: “Let us cease from man, and pray!” | |
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| To the men who went before us, all the unseen powers seemed near, | |
| And their steadfast strength of courage struck its roots in holy fear. | 50 |
| Every hand forsook the musket, every head was bowed and bare, | |
| Every stout knee pressed the flag-stones, as the captain led in prayer. | |
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| Ceased thereat the mystic marching of the spectres round the wall, | |
| But a sound abhorred, unearthly, smote the ears and hearts of all,— | |
| Howls of rage and shrieks of anguish! Never after mortal man | 55 |
| Saw the ghostly leaguers marching round the blockhouse of Cape Ann. * * * * * | |
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