The Slave-Ship.
[The following translation from Vogl is extracted from an
excellent little volume—German Ballads and Poems—by A.
Boyd.]
excellent little volume—German Ballads and Poems—by A.
Boyd.]
A ship bounds o’er the open sea,1
Concealed by fog and night ;2
The waves are foaming over it,3
Dashed by the wild storm’s might.4
Two hundred slaves lie prisoned there5
Between the narrow beams ;6
Half wakened by the howling storm,7
Half brooding savage dreams.8
They see themselves, like labouring beasts,9
Sold on a foreign shore ;10
They feel the scourge’s heavy blows,11
The sunbeams, scorching sore.12
They pray with fervent soul, aloud,13
Amidst the storm and rain :14
‘O Lord ! release, with sudden death,15
Us from such lasting pain !’16
And over slaves and sailors howls17
The storm with savage might,18
No beacon shines—the lightning’s flash19
Alone illumes the night.20
The captain cries : ‘O Allah—help !21
Save us from danger, save !’22
The slaves within call wildly out :23
‘O Lord ! give us the grave.’24
And fierce and fiercer drives the storm ;25
The ship bounds madly on !26
Sudden—it strikes upon a rock !27
And splits—all hope is gone !28
And from the wreck : ‘O woe ! O woe !’29
Howls loudly o’er the sea ;30
But from two hundred lips resound :31
‘Hail, Lord ! we now are free !’32