The boat grates down the shingly shore,
Lay out the oars, make fast the tiller,
Our Cameron crew are stout and true,
Their chief Hugh Cameron, the miller;
Loch Sunart's waves laugh, blue and bright,
The hills look down with still delight,
But the brightest there, most full of joy,
That sunny-hearted Cameron boy.
Ben Nevis from his mighty folds,
He poured his loyal Camerons down;
By field and flood they gave their blood
For Charlie Stuart and his crown.
That blood of gentle brave Lochiel
Is throbbing here from head to heel,
As down the loch he laughs and sings,
And cheerly to his strong oar swings.
O generous boy! an earl would give
Broad acres for an heir like thee:
Yea! seldom can they match who live
Of lordly park and pleasaunce free,
The abounding strength, the graceful ease,
Which summer glens and perilous seas
In thee have blended, face and form,-
The sunshine woven with the storm
The loch is cleared, our day is done,-
Day that will long survive in heart,-
Down the Atlantic slopes the sun,
Meet hour, with such as thee to part:
The sunset heavens, the gleaming seas,
The far transfigured hebrides,
Break on us round yon headland hoar;
We wave farewell, and meet no more. |
