The Voyageur and Other Poems | Page 9

be makin' den, wall! dat was mon affaire--?An' affer all w'at diff'rence how de poor man mak' de vote? So I do ma very bes'--me--wit' de wife an' familee--?On de church door Sunday morning, you can see us all parade-- Len' a frien' a half a dollar, an' never go on spree--?So w'en I 'm comin' die--me--no use to be afraid--?"Jus' tak' your chance, an' try your luck."
[Illustration: Border]
Champlain
"W'ere 'll we go?" says Pierre de Monts,[1]?To hese'f as he walk de forwar' deck,?"For I got ma share of Trois Rivières?An' I never can lak Kebeck--?Too moche Nort' Pole--maudit! it 's cole?Oh! la! la! de win' blow too.?An' I 'm sure w'at I say, M'sieu Pontgravé?He know very well it 's true.
But here 's de boat, an' we 're all afloat?A honder an' fifty ton--?An' look at de lot of man we got,?No better beneat' de sun--?Provision, too, for all de crew?An' pries' for to say de prayer,?So mes chers amis, dey can easy see?De vessel mus' pass somew'ere.
If I only know de way to go?For findin' some new an' pleasan' lan',"?But jus' as he spik, he turn roun' quick,?An' dere on de front, sir, stan' de Man.?"You was callin' me, I believe," says he,?As brave as a lion--"Tiens!?W'en we reach de sea, an' de ship is free,?You can talk wit' Samuel de Champlain." [2]
Wan look on hees eye an' he know for w'y?Young Samuel spik no more,?So he shake hees han', an' say, "Young man,?Too bad you don't come before;?But now you are here, we 'll geev' t'ree cheer,?An' away w'erever you want to go--?For I lak your look an' swear on de Book?You 'll fin' de good frien' on Pierre de Monts."
So de sail 's set tight, an' de win' is right,?For it 's blowin' dem to de wes'--?An' dey say deir prayer, for God knows w'ere?De anchor will come to res'--?Adieu to de shore dey may see no more--?Good-bye to de song an' dance--?De girl dey love, an' de star above?Kipin' watch on de lan' of France.
Den it 's "Come below, M'sieu Pierre de Monts,"?Champlain he say to de capitaine--?"An' I 'll tell to you, w'at I t'ink is true?Dough purty hard, too, for understan'--?I dream a dream an' it alway seem?Dat God hese'f he was say to me--?'Rise up, young man, de quick you can?An' sail your ship on de western sea.
"'De way may be long, an' de win' be strong,?An' wave sweep over de leetle boat--?But never you min', an' you 're sure to fin',?If you trus' in me, you will kip afloat.'?An' I tak' dat ship, an' I mak' de trip?All on de dream I was tellin' you--?An' oh! if you see w'at appear to me,?I wonder w'at you was a-t'inkin' too?
"I come on de lan' w'ere dere 's no w'ite man--?I come on de shore w'ere de grass is green--?An' de air is clear as de new-born year,?An' of all I was see, dis lan's de Queen--?So I 'm satisfy if we only try?An' fin' if dere 's anyt'ing on ma dream,?An' I 'll show de way," Champlain is say--?Den Pierre de Monts he is answer heem,
"All right, young man, do de bes' you can--?So long you don't bring me near Kebeck--?Or Trois Rivières, not moche I care,?An' I hope your dream's comin' out correc'."?So de brave Champlain he was say, "Tres bien,"?An' soon he was boss of de ship an' crew?An' pile on de sail, wedder calm or gale--?Oh! dat is de feller know w'at to do.
Don't I see heem dere wit' hees long black hair?On de win' blowin' out behin'--?Watchin' de ship as she rise an' dip,?An' always follerin' out de Sign??An' day affer day I can hear heem say?To de sailor man lonesome for home an' frien',?"Cheer up, mes amis, for soon you will see?De lan' risin' up on de oder en'."
Wall! de tam go by, an' still dey cry?"Oh! bring us back for de familee's sake."?Even Pierre de Monts fin' it leetle slow?An' t'ink mebbe somebody mak' mistake--?But he don't geev' in for he 's boun' to win'--?De young Champlain--an' hees heart grow strong?W'en de voice he hear say, "Never fear;?You won't have to suffer for very long."
Alone on de bow I can see heem now?Wan mornin' in May w'en de sun was rise--?Smellin' de air lak a bloodhoun', dere--?An' de light of de Heaven shine on hees eyes.?A minute or more he is wait before?He tak' off de hat an' raise hees han'--?Den down on de knee, sayin', "Dieu merci!"?He cross hese'f dere, an' I understan'--
"Ho! Ho! De Monts! are you down below,?Sleepin' so soun' on de bed somew'ere??If you 're feelin' well, come up an' tell?W'at kin' of a cloud you be seein' dere."?Den every wan shout w'en de voice ring out?Of de young Champlain on dat summer