II.

Amo and Ranolf slowly journeying home,
Had to a pleasant place for camping come
Inside a glorious forest; and although
The atmosphere was still aglow
With heat—the Sun still shining high,
Resolved that day they would no further go:
Why should they haste—what seek or fly?
Each rocky niche or woody nook
Of most retired romantic look,
There they could make their home, their rest,
And choose next day as fair a nest:—'
Twas such a joy to journey so,
How could their journey be too slow!
So long as not compelled to sever,
They cared not should it last for ever.
The youth, with hands beneath his head,
Against a great titóki's base,
page 254 Where, less compact and tangled, spread
The underbrush a little space,
Lay watching, now the forest scene,
Now Amo, as with accents gay
And lovely looks and lively mien,
Directions to the lad she gave
How best and where the stones to lay
When heated well—and neatly pave
The little hollow cleared away
To make his oven in, and cook—
In leaves close-folded, lightly sprinkled
With water from the fretting brook
O'er rocky bed that near them tinkled—
The savory palm-tree's pithy heart,
By Ranolf just cut down—but not,
Be sure, without a little smart—
(Though many grew about the spot)
Some slight compunction, for a meal
To strike with his destructive steel,
A thing so fair, a woodland treasure
You could not look at without pleasure;
A slim smooth pillar, ribbed and round,
With drooping crimson chaplet crowned;
O'er that, erect, symmetric, chaste,
A green Creek vase of perfect taste,
Smooth-shining, sinuous; whence in pride
Of beauty issued, spreading wide,
A fan-like tuft of feathers free—
All in artistic harmony!
Nor this alone employed the lad;
Intent upon a forest feast,
A more attractive task he had—
page 255 To raise and fix his three forked sticks,
The little iron pot to sling
He would on that excursion bring:
Its use, of all the white man's ways
Had won his most decided praise;
In Ranolfs service he at least
Had learnt what pleasant things were made
With its inestimable aid;
And now with ducks and pigeons shot
By Ranolf, he designed a stew,
Should all his former stews outdo,
Since he had shared a traveller's lot.