Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1834-08-21

boat "Boston,"I take the liberty OF send
ing you another sketch Of the events OF
that memorable day, from the pen of
A STRANGER.
THE INVASION OF BLOCKIsLAND,
4 August IL, 1884.
Tradition long had told fearful tale,
Which, sung by mothers, turned their children
pale,
How small Island in fair Newport's sound
BY rocky cliffs and dang g'rous shadows hound,
Was by murd'rous band Of pirates ruled
To nouaht but pund'ring wrecks and raplne
H schooed-
a spot as yet by polish'd man unirod
The home Of Blaclboards steep'd in human blood;
Yet in the lapse Of time nons dared explore
This ffighi(ul beacon and inclement shore;
At length the sages Of the neighbo'ng land
In solemn council on the sea-girt strand
Resolved to make the pirates bite the sand
In this bold enterprise all aimed to share,
The old, the young, nor less the tlnd lar )
Pursuit Of glory every bosom fired,
Fen matrons smilcd-whilc daughters charms
inspired.
The hum Of preparation now began,
The din of war throughout the country ran,
From Providence gallant steamer came,
The &C Boston call'd, and not unknown to fame;
/ At Newport next she touchd, recruits to gain,
And thence departed for the bost main;
Manned with five hundred souls she quit the shore,
And t'wards Block Island south by east she bore
That Island destin d on that fatal day
To own Rhode Islands mild and gentle sway.
The broad Atlantic scarce had come in view,
When swelling pillows still more threat'Eng grew.
Now in her zenith shone the lamp of day,
While gan.bolling porpoise round the steamer
Il play;
The sponting whale more distant too, is seen,
And tie sea-serpent .how'd himself between
The gallant steamer reeling on her side,
Unaided by the help which sails supplied
Now seemed uplned on the " mountain wave,'
Anon, deep punging in yawnirg grave
But YET the bark was safe--her thinkers sound,
Tho signs and sick ming groans were heard around
The martial spirit of the crew had iled
Who, fat on deck, seemed nunberd with the
dead;
The warlikc ardor which had filed The breast
OF heroes, heroincs and all the rest
The Aal,'nng hopes Of conquest late in Wow,
Here bid painful and last adieu
The chaplets woven for the conqueror's brows
Fell from the lily hands whence honor flows;
A -, 4 t.J all
The siou,est hearts like worms were seen 10 crawl
And seek hiding place where none could see
This aw ful wreck Of human dignity.
Among the crowd which here one level found,
Sat a pale Amazon with zone unbound
Her hair dshcvell'd and denudcd head
Denoted nou ght that man could wish 10 wed,
Tho undstinguished in her mein or sze,
Yet nasl'd 1haestres' fire from her eyes;
No Juliet, or Blanca there was seen,
Nor graceful moved the lofty traGic-queen {;
Her hair. So late embraced in golden net
Sustain'd by tortoise combs with di monds set,
Now hung in ropy masses down her back
As cable-ya are sirew'd d abou, the deck
She quaild now the surging waves roll d DER,
And cast mourful look towards Newport's shore
Mysterious fate how frail is human ken
How little man forsees Of Uhnt or when
Amid the gloom which now the ship hung o'cr,
Sudden the sea was calm, she near d tho shore,
And while the half-dead crew were child with
Il fear
The fishing boats around her bows appear
When 10 ! n syrcn-voicc was heard to say
"All hail, good friends, upon this genial day,
Behold our Island in the 'wat'ry waste
'Tis here the true Arcadian bliss we taste,
Land and enjoy our simple mode Of life u;
No jarring interests prompt to bloody strife
/, We iish and till the barren spot you see,
And ask 10 live in peace with God and thee
ITbou'll 6nJ not here Calypsos tempting isle,
No Gree arts, the stranger to beguile,
II cast by fortune on the sunken reef
We lend the ship-wreck'd seaman prompt relief -
: AZ sound Of this eacl, bosom leap'd with joy,
Here's happiness (all criod) without alloy.
/ Tbaastres now, the heroine cf the day,
! As Oft before Of farce or tragedy,
lIr,il'd with smile .erc,e a pfot like This