12. Alaska contains thousands of magnificent glaciers that move down to the Pacific Coast from the lofty mountain range skirting the Pacific. Some of these glaciers are more than fifty miles long, and are the grandest in the world. Greenland is covered to a great depth by a vast ice-sheet that sends forth to the coast many great glaciers, which supply the icebergs that float southward into the Atlantic Ocean. 13. Dr. Kane describes the Great Glacier of Humboldt on the coast of Greenland, as follows: "This line of cliff rose, a solid glassy wall, three hundred feet above the water-level, with an unknown, unfathomable depth below it; and its curved face, sixty miles in length, from Cape Agassiz to Cape Forbes, vanished into unknown space, at not more than a single day's railroad travel from the Pole. The interior, with which it communicated, and from which it issued, was an unsurveyed mer de glace [sea of ice] to the eye, of boundless dimensions. 14. "Yet here were no water feeders from the south. Every particle of moisture had its origin within the Polar circle, and had been converted into ice. Here was a plastic, moving, semi-solid mass, obliterating life, swallowing rocks and islands, and plowing its irresist ible march through the crust of an investing sea." 64. THE GLOVE AND THE LIONS. King Francis was a hearty king, and loved a royal sport, And one day as his lions fought, sat looking on the court; The nobles filled the benches, with the ladies in their pride, And 'mongst them sat the Count de Lorge, with one for whom he sighed; And truly 't was a gallant thing to see that crowning show, Valor and love, and a king above, and the royal beasts below. Ramped and roared the lions, with horrid laughing jaws; They bit, they glared, gave blows like beams, a wind went with their paws; With wallowing might and stifled roar, they rolled on one another, Till all the pit with sand and mane was in a thunderous smother; The bloody foam above the bars came whisking through the air; Said Francis, then, "Faith, gentlemen, we're better here than there." De Lorge's love o'erheard the king, a beauteous, lively dame, With smiling lips, and sharp bright eyes, which alway seemed the same; She thought, "The Count, my lover, is brave as brave can be; He surely would do wondrous things to show his love of me; King, ladies, lovers, all look on; the occasion is divine; I'll drop my glove, to prove his love; great glory will be mine." She dropped her glove, to prove his love; then looked at him and smiled; He bowed, and in a moment leaped among the lions wild; The leap was quick; return was quick; he has regained his place; Then threw the glove, but not with love, right in the lady's face. "By Heaven!" said Francis, "rightly done!" and he rose from where he sat: "No love," quoth he, "but vanity, sets love a task like that." LEIGH HUNT. 65. THE CLANSMAN'S REVENGE. [A Scottish chief once ordered one of his followers to be flogged for some offense against discipline. This poem describes how the clansman revenged what he considered an insufferable disgrace.] 1. "Maclaine! you've scourged me like a hound; 2. "You should have crushed me unto death;— That for this wrong which you have done, 3. "On him, and you, and all your race!" 4. And starting like a hunted stag, He scaled the rock, he clomb the crag, 5. And leaning o'er its topmost ledge, 6. With flashing eye and burning brow, 7. But midway up the rugged steep, She found a chasm she could not leap, 8. "O, spare my child, my joy, my pride! O, give me back my child!" she cried: "My child! my child!" with sobs and tears, She shrieked upon his callous ears. 9. "Come, Evan," said the trembling chief,— His bosom wrung with pride and grief,"Restore the boy, give hack my son, And I'll forgive the wrong you've done." 10. "I scorn forgiveness, haughty man! 11. And as he spoke, he raised the child, 12. "Fair lady, if your lord will strip, And let a clansman wield the whip, 13. The lady's cheek grew pale with ire, He drew a pistol from his breast, Took aim, then dropped it, sore distressed. 14. "I might have slain my babe instead. 15. "Wrong unavenged I've never borne," Said Evan, speaking loud in scorn; "You've heard my answer, proud Maclaine: I will not fight you,—think again.” 16. The lady stood in mute despair, With freezing blood and stiffening hair; 17. He saw the quivering of her eye, 18. A storm of passions shook his mind- 19. "I smite you," said the clansman true; For by yon Heaven, that hears me speak, 20. But Evan's face beamed hate and joy; |