As if to guard the Gulf across;
While, on its peak, that brav'd the sky,
A ruin'd Temple tower'd, so high
That oft the sleeping albatross

Struck the wild ruins with her wing,
And from her cloud-rock'd slumbering
Started to find man's dwelling there
In her own silent fields of air!
Beneath, terrific caverns gave

Dark welcome to each stormy wave
That dash'd, like midnight revellers, in;-
And such the strange, mysterious din
At times throughout those caverns roll'd,—
And such the fearful wonders told
Of restless sprites imprison'd there,
That bold were Moslem, who would dare,
At twilight hour, to steer his skiff
Beneath the Gheber's lonely cliff.

On the land side, those towers sublime,
That seem'd above the grasp of Time,
Were sever'd from the haunts of men
By a wide, deep, and wizard glen,
So fathomless, so full of gloom,

No eye could pierce the void between:
It seem'd a place where gholes might come
With their foul banquets from the tomb,
And in its caverns feed unseen.
Like distant thunder, from below,
The sound of many torrents came,
Too deep for eye or ear to know
If 'twere the sea's imprison'd flow,
Or floods of ever-restless flame.
For, each ravine, each rocky spire

Of that vast mountain stood on fire;
And, though for ever past the days
When God was worshipp'd in the blaze
That from its lofty altar shone,-

Though fled the priests, the votaries gone,
Still did the mighty flame burn on,

Through chance and change, through good and ill,
Like its own God's eternal will,
Deep, constant, bright, unquenchable!

Thither the vanquish'd Hafed led
His little army's last remains;-
"Welcome, terrific glen!" he said,
"Thy gloom, that Eblis' self might dread,

Is heav'n to him who flies from chains!"
O'er a dark, narrow bridge-way known
To him and to his Chiefs alone,

They cross'd the chasm and gain'd the towers,-
"This home," he cried, "at least is ours;—

Here we may bleed, unmock'd by hymns
Of Moslem triumph o'er our head;
Here we may fall, nor leave our limbs
To quiver to the Moslem's tread.
Stretch'd on this rock, while vultures' beaks
Are whetted on our yet warm cheeks,
Here-happy that no tyrant's eye
Gloats on our torments-we may die!

This spot, at least, no foot of slave
Or satrap ever yet profaned;

And though but few-though fast the wave
Of life is ebbing from our veins,

Enough for vengeance still remains.

As panthers, after set of sun,

Rush from the roots of Lebanon
Across the dark-sea robber's way,

We'll bound upon our startled prey;

And when some hearts that proudest swell
Have felt our falchion's last farewell;

When Hope's expiring throb is o'er,

And ev'n Despair can prompt no more,
This spot shall be the sacred grave

Of the last few who, vainly brave,

Die for the land they cannot save!”—Moore.

Green Sea, Persian Gulf.

Yemen, Arabia Felix.

Kerman, a province of Persia ly-
ing on the Persian Gulf.
Iran, true general name for the
empire of Persia.

Moslem, belonging to the Mahommedans.

ire, wrath, anger.

malign, malicious, bad.
cowl, hood or cap.

Simoorgh, the griffin Simoorgh,

it is said, took some feathers from her breast for Tahmuras (an ancient King of Persia), with which he adorned his helmet, and transmitted them afterwards to his descendants. Koran, the book written by Mahommed, as he and his followers assert by inspiration. talisman, charm or spell. pageant, spectacle.

Al Hassan, the Emir, a title of
dignity among the Turks de-
noting chief or lord.
Harmozia, the present Gomba-
roon, a town on the Persian
side of the gulf.

Oman, one of the five divisions
of Arabia, on the Persian
Gulf.

beetling, jutting.

Caspian, a large lake on the

north of Persia.

albatross, the largest known seabird. According to fable it sleeps in the air when on the wing.

Gheber, fire-worshipper.
gholes, demons that feed on the
dead.

ravine, a long deep hollow formed
by a mountain torrent.
stood on fire, the Ghebers gene-
rally built their temples over
subterranean fires.

votaries, those devoted by a vow
to the service of the temple.
burn on, the Ghebers assert that
the sacred fire in the temple at
Yezd, a city of Persia, has con-
tinued to burn since the days
of Zoroaster.

Eblis, Lucifer, Satan.
vulture, a large rapacious bird
which feeds on carrion.
whetted, sharpened.

gloats, gazes with burning pas-
sion.

satrap, a Persian viceroy or ruler.

panther, a ferocious animal having a spotted skin, found in Asia and Africa.

falchion, a short crooked sword.

THE BATTLE OF NIEVELLE.

WELLINGTON'S ENTRY INTO FRANCE THROUGH THE PYRENEES.

1. Day broke with great splendour; and as the first ray of light played on the summit of the lofty Pyrenees, the signal guns were fired in rapid succession. Then the British leaped up, and the French, beholding with astonishment their columns rushing forward, ran to their defences with much tumult. They opened a few pieces which were answered from the top of the greater Rhune by the mountain artillery, and at the same moment two companies of the 43rd were detached to cross the marsh,

if possible, and keep down the fire from the lower part of the hog's back; the remainder of the regiment, partly in line, partly in column of reserve, advanced against the high rocks.

2. From these crags the French shot fast, but the quick even movement of the British line deceived their aim; and the soldiers running forward very swiftly, though the ground was rough, turned suddenly between the rocks and the marsh, and were immediately joined by the two companies which had passed that obstacle notwithstanding its depth. Then all together jumped into the lower works: but the men exhausted by their exertions, for they had passed over half a mile of very difficult ground with a wonderful speed, remained for a few minutes inactive within half pistol shot of the first stone castle, from whence came a sharp and biting musketry.

3. When they recovered breath they arose, and with a stern shout commenced the assault. The French, as numerous as their assailants, had for six weeks been labouring on their well-contrived castles; but strong and valiant in arms must the soldiers have been who stood in that hour before the veterans of the 43rd. One French grenadier officer only dared to sustain the rush. Standing alone on the high wall of the first castle, and flinging large stones with both his hands, a noble figure, he fought to the last and fell, while his men, shrinking on each side, sought safety among the rocks on his flanks.

4. Close and confused was then the action, man met man at every turn, but with a rattling musketry, sometimes struggling in the intricate narrow paths, sometimes climbing the loose stone walls, the British soldiers won their desperate way, until they had carried the second castle, called by the French the place of arms and the magpie's nest, because of a lofty pillar of rock which rose