Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-11-29

The tempest iercely, madly raves;
The rain in pouring torrents fell;
Old Ocean roared;-the briny waves
A tale of woe and horror tell.
The thunder rolled, the lightning flashed
In living streams of fire;
And round that sea-girt Island dashed
Dark pillows in their ire.
The orb Of day, in clouds, declines,
No friendly light is seen around;
To cherries night the sky resigns,
And moon and stars in shade are drown'd
On-onward bounds the rushing sea;
The gloom is gathering thicker round;
The bravest naught but danger see,
Is the rude winds their death knel sound.
One liquid sheet now rolls along,
Needless alike of youth or age;
The surges their terrific song
Beat, as the storm doth iercely rage.
There woman's heart alarmed by Fear,
Looks wildly round for helpt to save;
But black Despair, with naught to cheer,
Points to a dark and wateTy grave.
Poor victims! oh! they strive in vain
To buffet with the flashing tide;
No place Of safety can they gain,
For Fate pursues on every side.
The frantic mother trembling stands,
Hoping her hel pleSs babe to save;
IT'S all in vain,-its life's short sands
Ebb, with the tides returning wave.
Fate, like a demon, now presides
Ger the soul-sickenin scenes Of woe;
Pale Melancholy here resides,
Where all once thought but joys could flow.
AS the mad waves of ocean meet,
They cry for aid, contend with death;
Then sink in everlasting sleep
The winds receive their parting breath.
All night the tempest dashed the skies;
No hope CLEANS through their darkest hour;
But foaming mountains seem to rise,
And death and danger fearful lower.
Torn from each others clasping arms.
See parents, children, friends most dear:
All is dismay and wild alarms,
AS forth they gaze with dread and fear.
In vain to Heaven the supplient cries
ooh, sacred Power! protect and saveF'
But Heaven no longer heeds their signs,
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The sea recedes! but ah! he bears
In his cold arms the lov~eliest-best:
Death neither youth nor beauty spares;
Down the abyss they sink TO rest.
BIT 10! arising through the eastern skies,
Behold the sun comes from his wat ry bed;
What desolation DER that Island lies!
How mouruful now the image of the deadl
Heart-piercing sight! the cheeks, where 70,
SEES bloomld,
Are calm and pale with mortal shade;
That beauteous form, alasi must be entombed,
And lovely tresses in the dust be laid.
All! how unlike what yester-morn enjoyed;
Then wealth and wit and happiness abound;
Enchanting hopes forever now Destroyed,
And pale Alright and Ruin glare around.n
Naught but destruction can we trace,
Save one poor wreck that saught to save;
To this the sufferers cling, the only place
That caught the eye above the ruthless wave.
These few poor hearts with anguish bleed;
Their lost companions mourn with tears;
But Friendships hand, with active speed,
Relieves their weight Of gloom and fears.
Ger the sad scene Remembrance weeps;
That tale of woe how many tell!
While in the grave each loved one sleeps,
We bid them ala last farewell.
Father in Heaven! we look to thee,
For earth and ocean-all are thine.
Oh! bid our hearts thy wisdom see,
And calm and s0othe with rays divine.