New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-26
THE VOYAGE OF MAGELLAN.
by ROBERT BUCHANAN.
Copyright, 1885.

ID hODEhl DCClANaN.
Copyright 1885.
Magellan! mighty master! sleepess soul Pope could
On tho heavens ana the Ocean you have left your
shining name;
Brightly shall burn for ever the waters without
bound,
Proving Pope and Priests still liars while the wondrous
world is roundl
Let tho cowls Salamanca cluster thick rock and
daw,
the Pope with right hand palslcd hur his thunder
bolts OF straw:
Heaven and ocean, here and yonder put their dreary
dreams TO shame
Earth is round. and high above it shines Magelans
starry namol
Troubously the Ocean labors in last of pain.
While soft breath eastward blowing watts gently
again,
Nearer to the edge of darkness where the fiat earth ends
(men swoarD,
Where the black abyss open gulf in gulf OF empty
air!'
Creeping silently vessels enter wastes of hideOus
weed
Shiny growth that clngs around Them tange bearing
sable seed,
Purpng all the waters, making floating isles of inky
black,
While the palid seamen pointing shrek in dread, and
cry Turn back"
On the Trine Magellan stands and looks with fearless
eyes:
Fools the world is round p he answers onward still
our pathway Hest
Tho the gulf OF Hell gaped yonder tho the earth
ended there
would venture calmly onward, facing Death and
Deaths despairw
Days and nights deeper darkness foow-then there
comes the cry.
lie Is madDeath waits before us-turn the ships, and
let US ayr'
Storm of mutnous anger gathers round the Captain
storm and true,
Near the roremas crcely glaring fash faces Of the
crew.
One there is n savage seaman crashing teeth and
ing hands.
Strides with to the Captain where with folded
arms he stands
Turn. thou mailman, % he shricketh-scarcsly hath
he spoke the word
Ere bleeding log he faleth Slaughtered by his leaders
sword.
Fools and cowards cries Magellan spurning him with
armed heel,
II another dreams OF flying lot him spoak-and taste
my seelv'
Like Gagged tigers when the Tanner calmly shrink
the band,
While the Master stride, among them. clothd in mail
and sword in hand.
o Magellan lord and leader only He whose fingers
frame
Twisted thews pard panther knot them round their
hearts Of flame,
Light the cmeralds burning brightly in their eyebals as
they rsl,
Could have made that mightier marvel thine nexorablc
SOUL
Onward. ever on we faer-till there comes dawn of
day
Creeping ghostly up behind us, mirror'd family far
While the starboard oomeh strangely
or cloud
Land to starboardr cries Magellan" land p tho sea
men call aloud
Southwark steering creep the vessels while the lights OF
morning grow;
Fades the land while faces chilly fog and yapor
blow;
Colder grows the ar-and clinging round the and
stiffening sails
Freezes into crystal dewdrops into hanging ciclcs,
Suddenly arise before u.s. phantom. wise, in eclipse,
Icebergs drifting the like innumeTabe ships
In the light they flash prsmatlc among their hrong
creep,
Crashing down to overwhelm us. laundering to the
tbundrous deep.
Towering gh ,sty gigantic the steam of
own breath,
Moving northward procession In their snowy shrouds
of Death,
Rise the bergs now ovcrtopplng like great fountains in
the air.
While along their cruubng edges slips the seal and
steals the bear.
with the upon his armor like skeleton Of steel.
Stands the Master. waiting. watching, clad in cold from
head to heel
Loud his rings thro the vapors, ordering all and
leading on,
Till the bsrgs before his finger fall back ghosko and
are gOnel
onco again before vision sparkes Ocean wide and
free,
With the suns red ball OF crimson resting on the rim Of
40, the SUM-" he laughs eIulting-"stn no beekons
far away
Earth is round and on its circle evermoro chase the
dayl"
AS he speaks, the sunset backens Twilight trembes
thro' the skies,
For moment-then the heavens open all their starry
eyes
Suddenly strange consultations fash from out the fields
of blue
knewi
Sinking his knee Magellan prays "Now Glory be to
God
To the Christ who led us forward on His wondrous
watery roadi
sec Heavens give attesation that search shall
yet be crowned,
Proving Pope and Priests still lars and tho merry world
is rouldl"
II was taught by the Church. In those tmos, that the
Earth was nat like plate, and Mngeans mafiners |
when they encountered the weeds Of tho soutLorn |
waters believed they were approaching the earhs eago
aud might sail over!