Now o’er the deep chill night her mantle flung,
Dim on the wave the moon’s faint crescent hung;
Peruvia’s Genius sought the liquid plain,
Sooth’d by the languid murmurs of the main; 140
When sudden clamour the illusion broke,
Wild on the surface of the deep it spoke;
A rising breeze expands her flowing veil,
Aghast with fear, she spy’d a flying sail—­
The lofty mast impends, the banner waves, 145
The ruffled surge th’ incumbent vessel laves;
With eager eye he views her destin’d foe
Lead to her peaceful shores th’ advent’rous prow;
Trembling she knelt, with wild disorder’d air,
And pour’d with frantic energy her pray’r—­ 150
“Oh, ye avenging spirits of the deep! 
“Mount the blue lightning’s wing, o’er ocean sweep;
“Loud from your central caves the shell resound,
“That summons death to your abyss profound;
“Call the pale spectre from his dark abode, 155
“To print the billow, swell the black’ning flood,
“Rush o’er the waves, the rough’ning deep deform,
“Howl in the blast, and animate the storm—­
“Relentless powers! for not one quiv’ring breeze
“Has ruffled yet the surface of the seas—­ 160
“Swift from your rocky steeps, ye condors[E] stray,
“Wave your black plumes, and cleave th’ aerial way;
“Proud in terrific force, your wings expand,
“Press the firm earth, and darken all the strand;
“Bid the stern foe retire with wild affright, 170[F]
“And shun the region veil’d in partial night. 
“Vain hope, devoted land!  I read thy doom,
“My sad prophetic soul can pierce the gloom;
“I see, I see my lov’d, my favour’d clime,
“Consum’d, and fading in its early prime. 175
“But not in vain the beauteous realm shall bleed,
“Too late shall Europe’s race deplore the deed. 
“Region abhorr’d! be gold the tempting bane,
“The curse that desolates thy hostile plain;
“May pleasure tinge with venom’d drops the bowl, 180
“And luxury unnerve the sick’ning soul.”—­
Ah, not in vain she pour’d th’ impassion’d tear! 
Ah, not in vain she call’d the powers to hear! 
When borne from lost Peruvia’s bleeding land,
The guilty treasures beam’d on Europe’s strand; 185
Each sweet affection fled the tainted shore,
And virtue wander’d, to return no more.

[A] The pacos is a domestic animal of Peru.  Its wool resembles the
    colour of dried roses.
[B] The vicunnas are a species of wild pacos. [C] The lamas are employed as mules, in carrying burdens. [D] The people cheerfully assisted in reaping those fields, whose
    produce was given to old persons, past their labour.
[E] The condor is an inhabitant of the Andes.  Its wings, when expanded,
    are said to be eighteen feet wide.
[F Transcriber’s note:  Misnumbered in original.]