Shade-loving herbs and flowers luxuriant grew;
And jutting crags made easy the descent.
A little way descending, Coatel

Stoopt for the flowers, and heard, or thought she heard,

A feeble sound below. She raised her head,
And anxiously she listened for the sound,
Not without fear... Feebly again, and like
A distant cry, it came; and then she thought,

Perhaps it was the voice of that poor child,
By the slow pain of hunger doomed to die.
She shuddered at the thought, and breathed a groan
Of unavailing pity;.. but the sound

Came nearer, and her trembling heart conceived
A dangerous hope. The Vulture from that chasm
Had fled, perchance accustomed in the cave
To seek his banquet, and by living feet
Alarmed.. there was an entrance then below;
And were it possible that she could save
The Stranger's child,.. Oh what a joy it were
To tell Lincoya that!

It was a thought

Which made her heart with terror and delight,
Throb audibly. From crag to crag she past
Descending, and beheld a narrow cave

Enter the hill. A little way the light

Fell,.. but its feeble glimmering she herself
Obstructed half, as stooping in she went.

The arch grew loftier, and the increasing gloom
Filled her with more affright; and now she paused;
For at a sudden and abrupt descent

She stood, and feared its unseen depth; her heart
Failed, and she back had hastened; but the cry
Reached her again, the near and certain cry
Of that most pitiable innocent.

Again adown the dark descent she looked,
Straining her eyes; by this the strengthened sight
Had grown adapted to the gloom around,

And her dilated pupils now received

Dim sense of objects near. Something below,
White, in the darkness lay: it marked the depth.
Still Coatel stood dubious; but she heard
The wailing of the child, and his loud sobs; .
Then, clinging to the rock, with fearful hands,
Her feet explored below, and twice she felt
Firm footing, ere her fearful hold relaxed.
The sound she made, along the hollow rock
Ran echoing. Hoel heard it, and he came
Groping along the side. A dim dim light

Broke on the darkness of his sepulchre ;

A human form drew near him; .. he sprang on,
Screaming with joy, and clung to Coatel,

And cried, O take me from this dismal place!
She answered not; she understood him not;
But clasped the little victim to her breast,
And shed delightful tears.

But from that den

Of darkness and of horror, Coatel

Durst not convey the child, though in her heart
There was a female tenderness which yearned,
Even with maternal love, to cherish him.
She hushed his clamours, fearful lest the sound
Might reach some other ear; she kissed away
The tears that streamed adown his little cheeks;
She gave him food which in the morn she brought,
For her own wants, from Aztlan. Some few words
Of Britain's ancient language she had learnt
From her Lincoya, in those happy days

Of peace, when Aztlan was the Strangers' friend:
Aptly she learnt, what willingly he taught,
Terms of endearment, and the parting words
Which promised quick return. She on the child
The endearing phrase bestowed; and if it chanced

Imperfect knowledge, or some difficult sound

Checked her heart's utterance, then the gentle tone, The fond caress, intelligibly spake

Affection's language.

But when she arose,

And would have climbed the ascent, the affrighted boy
Close clasped her, and his tears interpreted

The prayer to leave him not. Again she kissed
His tears away; again of soon return
Assured and soothed him; till reluctantly
And weeping, but in silence, he unloosed

His grasp; and up the difficult ascent
Coatel climbed, and to the light of day
Returning, with her flowers she hastened home.

XIV.

The Stone of Sacrifice.

WHO comes to Aztlan, bounding like a deer
Along the plain?.. The herald of success;

For lo! his locks are braided, and his loins
Cinctured with white; and see, he lifts the shield,
And brandishes the sword. The populace
Flock round, impatient for the tale of joy,
And follow to the palace in his path.

Joy! joy! the Tyger hath atchieved his quest !
They bring a captive home!.. Triumphantly
Coanocotzin and his Chiefs go

forth

To greet the youth triumphant, and receive
The victim whom the gracious gods have given,
Sure omen and first fruits of victory.

A woman leads the train, young, beautiful, ..
More beautiful for that translucent joy
Flushing her cheek, and sparkling in her eye;..
Her hair is twined with festal flowers, her robe