To

H. M. S. BLAKE.[Note]

Hail to Britannia's noble ship! Whose pendant, streaming high Doth shadow forth a nation's might Athwart our placid sky.

Thou comest not in pomp of power, Nor din of battle's roar; Thy cannon wake no trembling hearts Upon our peaceful shore.

Hail to Britannia's sailor sons! Great sons of greatest fleet! We tender ye a welcome true Unto fair Abegweit.[Note]

Our happy hearths, our blooming fields We owe to such as you; For Nelson, Howard, Frobisher Were of the "boys in blue."

Long live our noble Admiral! May his noble deeds afford That crown which lustres poortith's brow, And graceth prince or lord.

May bonds of sympathy unite Great Neptune's greatest sons With lowliest tar, within whose veins The blood of fealty runs.

And ne'er forget, on whiche'er sea The tide of time sweeps past, _Port La Joie_[Note] prays you, 'yond all storm Safe anchorage at last.

RETROSPECT.

Sir Ronald leaned back in his easy chair; He gazed abroad on the prospect fair.

On the soft, white carpet of new-fallen snow; On the ermined branch with its gems aglow.

Snow white those locks of the threescore and ten Yet, smooth is that brow as of younger men.

He beareth his years with a right good will, And life floweth on as a placid rill.

For though evening's sun is well nigh set His heart holds the dawn of the morning yet.

From memory's treasures of years gone by He portrayed scenes for the mental eye,

Wondrous experience by land and by sea; Fain would I tell as he told it to me.

II.

"Drifting of smoke wreath, darting of flame; The fire-fiend is working his way; And the ghastly glare o'er the gates of dawn, Streaks far on the opening day. The stairway has fallen, the rafters yield, The flooring is creaking o'erhead; Yet the stout stone wall as a sentry stands, Though the surges of battle outspread.

"But lo! from the casement, wide open thrown, By loving hands carefully bound, A basket live-freighted is hastily launched Through flashes of flame to the ground. Kindled is courage, strong effort revives, Grim death and destruction are braved;-- What matter the crash of that falling roof! Dear life, in its lustre is saved."

III.

"Deep murmurs from out of the frowning skies; A rising and swelling of seas; The sailor quick-furleth the outspread sail, For a hurricane toppeth the breeze. No shapelier craft from a British port Ever ventured the heaving tide; Her firm knit hull, and her rigging taut Were the mariner's honest pride.

"But what recketh Ocean for pride of man! The storm-wraith wails loudly on high; Till battered and torn is the gallant bark In her wrestle 'gainst ocean and sky. Yet she conquers, she rideth the seething foam; And, as bird from prison bars free, She spreadeth her sail 'yond the storm-cloud's rim And skimmeth a tranquil sea."

IV.

"A young mother sat on a vessel's deck, A flaxen haired babe on her knee; And her thoughts went back to the mountain land, And she sighed for her _ain countrie_. But the light of love, with the hope of youth In the true woman's heart burns clear; Oh! what unto her is the loneliest wild When the arm which she leans on is near!

"One glance to the stalwart form by her side, Her spirit returns to its rest; And gaily she dreameth of happier days In the new land, the glorious West. She raiseth the babe; Oh well for her peace! Where had nestled the darling head, A fierce, flying ball from the Gascon grazed, Ere it plunged in its ocean bed."

V.

"Name it not chance; No! in earliest youth 'Twixt the fire, 'twixt the foe and the flood, Who feedeth the ravens, Who telleth the stars In the pathway of danger stood. And, aye and anon, on the journey up hill, White milestones have pointed the way Through the tangled maze, o'er the rocky steep, To the ridge of an endless day.

"Now peaceful in shades of the gloaming I rest, Unawed of the murkier night; Calm-souled I await for the upward call, And the glow of the nearing light. The river's sad moanings I may not hear; High over the murmuring foam Floateth rich music. Ah! sweet to mine ear Those angel tones welcoming home."

VI.

Intently I listened, but scant my reply; Sorrow and gladness o'er-misted the eye.

Gladness for light of a long, lustrous day; Sorrow for sunshine fast fleeting away.

More dense than the doole of a starless night The gloom of a soul which knoweth no light.

Down-coursing as cataract o'er the steep hill That will which opposeth the Higher Will.

Unbeauteous is age when it crusts itself round, Or buries itself in a selfish mound.

But blessèd be those who in soul-growth expand 'Neath the milder beams from the glory-land.

Yea blessèd they be! when the river is passed, They shall enter the gate with the palms at last.

FINIS.

NOTES.

"Skilled Nurses." Page 16.-- When the epidemic of small-pox visited Charlottetown in the year 1885, three nuns from the City Hospital volunteered their professional services. The generous offer was at first refused, but afterwards gladly accepted. Sister St. Thomas never recovered from the effects of her labours in the improvised Hospital; she died in Montreal the following Spring.

"Whose skill and courage." Page 19.-- Dr. Richard Johnson, Health Officer, distinguished himself by unremitting devotion to his arduous duties; and also, along with Dr. Warburton, attended all cases in the city; while Dr. J. T. Jenkins, with his son, Dr. S.R. Jenkins, were in constant attendance at the Hospital. Notable also were Mayor H. Beer, and clergymen Carruthers, O'Meara and MacIntyre.

"The Hiding-place." Page 29.-- Incidents in the career of the much beloved and widely lamented Bishop MacIntyre.

"In Memoriam." Page 98.-- In memory of the pious and charitable Mrs. M. M. T. Hodgson, daughter of the late Hon. J. Brecken, and wife of the Hon. Edward J. Hodgson, Master of the Rolls of P. E. Island, Canada; who died on the 19th October, 1889.

"The heroes of Skye." Page 143.-- During the Peninsular war the small island of Skye sent out, to fight the battles of Great Britain, no fewer than ten thousand men, many of whom arose to highest positions in the army.

"Two frigates." Page 153.-- When the descendants of many of those brave soldiers lately rebelled against landlord tyranny, warships were despatched to Skye, to intimidate the oppressed.

"Bonnie, braw Dundee." Page 145.-- Graeme of Claverhouse, created for his military services, Viscount Dundee; noted as an able General, but held in detestation as the cruel persecutor of the Scotch Covenanters.

"The Macneill." Page 142.-- Archd. MacNeill, Esq., long the President, and ever an ardent supporter of the Caledonian Club.

"The spirit which rose." Page 180.-- Daniel O'Connell, the Irish Liberator.

"Who dignifieth, etc." Page 186.-- Hon. Senator A. A. Macdonald, for some time Member of the Legislative Council, and one of the delegates to the Quebec Conference anent Confederation. Elevated to the position of Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island, 1884; since, in 1891, appointed to the Senatorship. For the last fifteen years the honoured Chief of the Caledonian Club.

"H. M. S. Blake." Page 191.-- H. M. S. Blake, Admiral Sir John Hopkins, anchored in Charlottetown Harbour, 18th August, 1893.

"Abegweit." Page 191.-- Home on the Wave--Indian name for P. E. Island.

"Port La Joie." Page 192.-- Former name of Charlottetown.

* * * * *

1. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors.

2. Retained anachronistic and non-standard spellings as printed.