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the life-voyage.
The wind was fresh, the sails were free,
High dash'd the diamond spray,
And merrily leaping o'er the sea,
The light skiff left the bay!
High dash'd the diamond spray,
And merrily leaping o'er the sea,
The light skiff left the bay!
But soon false, evil spirits came,
And strove, with costly lure,
To bribe her maiden heart to shame,
And win her jewel pure.
And strove, with costly lure,
To bribe her maiden heart to shame,
And win her jewel pure.
They swarm'd around the fragile boat,
They brought her diamonds rare,
To glisten on her graceful throat,
And bind her flowing hair!
They brought her diamonds rare,
To glisten on her graceful throat,
And bind her flowing hair!
They brought her gold from Afric-land,
And from the sea-king's throne
They pilfer'd gems, to grace her hand
And clasp her virgin zone.
And from the sea-king's throne
They pilfer'd gems, to grace her hand
And clasp her virgin zone.
But still she shook the silken curl
Back from her beaming eyes,
And cried—"I bear my spotless pearl
Home, home to yonder skies!
Back from her beaming eyes,
And cried—"I bear my spotless pearl
Home, home to yonder skies!
