Part 22 (1/2)

The pious Abbot of Aberbrothock Had placed that bell on the Inchcape Rock; On a buoy in the stor

When the Rock was hid by the surge's swell, Thebell; And then they knew the perilous Rock, And blessed the Abbot of Aberbrothock

The sun in heaven was shi+ning gay; All things were joyful on that day; The sea-birds screamed as they wheeled round, And there was joyance in their sound

The buoy of the Inchcape Bell was seen, A darker speck on the ocean green; Sir Ralph the Rover walked his deck, And he fixed his eye on the darker speck

He felt the cheering power of spring; It : His heart was mirthful to excess, But the Rover's mirth ickedness

His eye was on the Inchcape float; Quoth he: ”My men, put out the boat, And row ue the Abbot of Aberbrothock”

The boat is lowered, the boato; Sir Ralph bent over from the boat, And he cut the bell froling sound, The bubbles rose and burst around; Quoth Sir Ralph: ”The next who comes to the Rock Won't bless the Abbot of Aberbrothock”

Sir Ralph the Rover sailed away; He scoured the seas for rown rich with plundered store, He steers his course for Scotland's shore

So thick a haze o'erspreads the sky They cannot see the sun on high; The wind hath blown a gale all day, At evening it hath died away

On the deck the Rover takes his stand; So dark it is, they see no land

Quoth Sir Ralph: ”It will be lighter soon, For there is the dawn of the rising moon”

”Canst hear,” said one, ”the breakers roar?

For methinks we should be near the shore”

”Nohere we are I cannot tell, But I e could hear the Inchcape Bell”

They hear no sound; the swell is strong; Though the wind hath fallen, they drift along, Till the vessel strikes with a shi+vering shock; Cried they: ”It is the Inchcape Rock!”

Sir Ralph the Rover tore his hair, He cursed himself in his despair: The waves rush in on every side; The shi+p is sinking beneath the tide

But, even in his dying fear, One dreadful sound could the Rover hear,-- A sound as if, with the Inchcape Bell, The fiends beloere ringing his knell

SOUTHEY

A ROUGH RIDE

”Well, young ones, what be gaping at?”

”Youra tall boy now; ”I never saw such a beauty, sir Will you let me have a ride on her?”

”Think thou couldst ride her, lad? She will have no burden but mine