The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1881-02-17
OF THE MYSTERIOUS MU'
STCv

feautiful tradition of Pascagoula'
rjous music has engaged the atten
I'd scientists, and awakened the song
poets for lOl these many years VI
latter none have sung more sWeetly
bms the late Matt Field-the we'll remem
- PHAz,fA Of the Picayune nearly hall
! century .ince-one who had fed early
-'n,ors, the lilies in the valley of song, and
#Jied baf,,rs the laurel had been woven Tor
~ MANLY brow. Willing away the sum-
~ 1872 in the beautiful bay which he
MJascrihe. ne embodied in this song one of Its
observation-disclosures a tribe of Indian warriors
~. grlIualIv reduced by confederated enc
mic until the last fugitive remnant came
n the vel.0w-sanded shores OF Pasc2gouIa
Bav. uniting ia the death song, one by one
marched into its whelming waters at the
tenn hour Of midnight, and how theiI
R,Iaintiye vail comes up from their graves,
d the same hour in calm summer evenings.
To t,reserve the Legend Of the Mysteri-
Dus Music" from YaHdal hands, in its origi-
nj beauty. we give it below "a it was Origi-
r',Ily written-and published in the Plea
vuue-5y our lamented collaboration and
Friend:
Moonlight is sleeping on the wave,
ron sandy beach shines IN It's ray
Ami silver are the sands that pave
Fair Pascagoult's Bay.
8Ynu isles Of green seem spirit bound
Nv Bl1a -pelI-lIke silence floats around
Aud y0u m ys.erlous object marx
Pa o ar the CLASSY surface sea
4The branching root Of some dead tree
Peep ogt above the deep blue sea
Like water-sl5rit dark
Like some lone spirit Of the water,
Gazing upon the fair moonlight,
No. signing for some earthly daugh ter
In silence and i'm night,
boo sorrow q we'll beneath the wave
b "a coral gro. and crystal cave
Aud 10 the uymphs and naiads know
b. weep, Does now some fair Undine,
JIidiug her face in tresses green,
Drop amber tears Of woe
sAhl sorrow ever o. er the earth,
VITA joy goes almost hand in hand,
changing and mingllng JOY and mirth,
Thick as yoH silver sand.
Tha sgugsters ou their summer wings,
FTue fairrst and the best Of things,
Find mirth still mingled with alloy.
aAhl sadness dwelleth everywhere,
r pom tae earth and IN the air,
i nd meath the waves, yea, even there
Grief miugies still with joy.
HIIurkt listen does my Inusing lone
And dismal liit my fancy high
Or whence this sad and signing tone
OF music floating by
Nov s5'e,ls it over leatand bough-
Beneath. along the water now
And ain how sad it seems
Mourntul as solemn toiiug bells
Echoes OF by--0ue funeral knells,
Like spirits signing sad farewells,
Or music heard IN dreams.
And 'ti- not fancy, for they tell
How long ago was heard the sound
How brave men fought and fell
And In the bay were drowned.
They say 30 is "a spirit band,
Mourning oE PusOagoulas sand
The bones ot many tribes are there
Their means eff echoes on the waves
That roll DER their eternal graves;
And as the beach the water laves
Sad music fills the air.
Again h9wstr4nge! ii cannot be
The might wind, tor the night is still
And uot a leaf stirs the tree,
Or hlsuc upon the hill.
Now Ie o. now distant now near
lou start and smile at your own fear
And all so mouruful steals along
The sounds that thrills your feelings deep
You long 90 cal away and weep,
} on sig h 70 listen and To sleep,
Lulled by this spirit song.
Not when the Tempest whips the wave,
Not when the storm-fends' rage is stirred,
But 1heu it's silent as the grave
Then is the music heard.
Then wildly, sscctly from the lake,
The spirit song Is heard 90 break,
And DER the classy wave to play;
The war-souE OF the Indian brave
Comes from his deep and watcry grave
And floats upon the silver wave
OF PuscagoulR Bay.
-PHAzMA.