Long Time the Sailors work against the

Wind,

With fruitless Toil, to gain the Port affign'd; Till Courage, Hope, and all Provifions fail'd, And Fear, Defpair, and Want their Souls affail'd.

Forc'd by the Storm into a winding Bay, Their joyful Eyes an Indian Isle survey ; When ftrait they quit their Ship, and gain the Shore,

And for Recruits the favage Land explore.

Adjoining to the dreary Beach, there stood Wild Shrubs and Trees, that form'd a gloomy Wood;

Where, close obscur'd, the crafty Natives lay, And watch'd the wand'ring Crew, remote from Sea:

Then forth they rush, and strait their Bows prepare;

Too late the Sailors fee th'approaching War: In vain the Brave engage, or Tim'rous fly; The Tim'rous and the Brave, promiscuous die; The barb'rous Fields are ftain'd with purple Gore,

And dreadful Groanings echo to the Shore. Our youthful Merchant 'scapes, and flies alone;

His Fear impels, and Safety prompts him on;

Thro' dufky Woods he takes his trembling Flight,

The dufky Woods conceal him from their Sight;

Till in the devious Wilds, remote from Foes, Then on the Ground, he weeping vents his

Woes;

Oft curs'd his hapless Fate, and often thought
On what the hoary Star-monger had taught;
How, at our Birth, as diff'rent Planets rule,
They form a Wit, or conftitute a Fool;
How, in the Maze of Life, we act, as they
Attract, retard, or force us in the Way.
And, as he these uncertain Cenfures made,
Against the Stars he thus exclaiming said:
The Planets fure fome noxious Pow'r dif-
play,

And rule my Life with arbitrary Sway;
Elfe had I ne'er forfook my native Home,
Nor in this baleful Desert met my Doom-
And yet, when I reflect, I cannot fee,
How Globes infenfible fhould influence me;
I chufe my Actions; when the Choice is made,
I nor invoke, nor yet confult their Aid.
When Mortals act according to their Will,
Can Heav'n be call'd the Author of their Ill?
Too late I find, the Stars are not in Fault;
But 'tis that golden Wish my Sire has taught:
Enticing Gold, that damn'd deceiving Guide,
Induc'd me first to ftem the foaming Tide;

Falla

Fallacious Charm, that led me from Repose, Now leaves me in a Labyrinth of Woes.

So, when compacted Vapours, in the Night, Skim o'er the Fields, with a delufive Light, The injudicious Traveller furveys

Th' alluring Scene, and court the glift'ring Blaze;

Till, tempted o'er a Rock's impending Brow, He falls to fome tremendous Gulph below.

Thus the unhappy Youth laments his Fate, Conscious of all the Ills that round him wait; Till fetting Phoebus leaves the blushing Sky, And glimm'ring Stars a feeble Light supply : The Shades of Night increase his anxious Care, And add a greater Horror to Defpair.

All Night in Tears the penfive Merchant lay, And often wifh'd, and fear'd the coming Day; Till, on the Hills, the rifing Sun display'd His golden Beams, and chas'd away the Shade: Harmonious Birds falute his chearful Rays, And hail the rofy Morn with joyful Lays; While, ftretch'd upon the Ground, Avaro

moans,

Anfw'ring their tuneful Songs with piercing Groans.

Not diftant far from where the Youth was

laid,

A purling Stream, in pleafing Murmurs, play'd; And, by the Margin of the crystal Flood, Two Rows of Trees in beauteous Order stood;

Whofe Branches form'd a pendent Arch above,
Diffusing gloomy Verdure o'er the Grove.
An Indian Princess hither daily came,

Pleas'd with the grateful Shade and cooling
Stream:

She now was walking to her lov'd Retreat, And heard the mourning Youth lament his Fate:

Fix'd in Amaze, a-while fhe lift'ning ftood; Then swift approach'd him, rushing thro' the Wood.

Th' affrighted Merchant rofe with gazing Eyes,

And tim❜rous Looks that testify'd Surprize:
Backward he starts; the Dame, with equal
Fears,

Recedes as faft, and wonders what appears;
Yet bolder grown, fhe foon advanc'd again,
Smit with the Beauty of the godlike Man :
His Drefs, and fair Complexion charm'd her
Sight;

Each glowing Feature gave her new Delight;
While Love and Pity both arose within,
And kindled in her Soul a Flame unfeen.
With equal Joy Avaro now furvey'd
The native Graces of the Negro Maid:
He view'd her Arms, with various Ribbands

bound;

Her downy Head, with painted Feathers

crown'd;

With Bredes, and lucid Shells, in Circles

ftrung,

Which fhone refulgent, as they round her hung.

As when, in fplendid Robes, a courtly Maid Begins the Dance at Ball or Masquerade; The Pearls and Di'monds fhine with mingled Light,

And glitt❜ring Pendants blaze against the Sight. So fhone the beauteous Shells around her

Waist,

And sparkling Gems, that deck'd her jetty Breaft;

All which Avaro's gazing Eyes pursue,

Charm'd with her lovely Shape, difclos'd to
View:

Each Limb appears in just Proportion made,
With Elegance thro' ev'ry Part display'd :
And now his Cares diffolve, new Paffions

move;

And Nature intimates, the Change is Love. Not far remote, a cooling Grot was made, In which the Virgin often fought a Shade: Thick Shrubs, and fruitful Vines, around it grew;

And none, except herself, the Mansion knew. To this obfcure Recefs the Royal Dame, Rejoicing, with her lovely Captive came: