29
Unrolls above the gibbering demon host,
This way and that, in wild disorder tossed:
And strains to match accompany the racket,
A crash of tones, earth had not heard as yet,
Apes’ chatter, tom-toms’ deafening thuds to back it,
Crisp, tinkling bells, and clattering castanet.
And from the palms yet other throngs come showering
That scarce the close-packed strip of beach will hold,
That reckless rout of carnival, unrolled,
Like some bright ball of ribbon, where go scouring
The apish maskers: o’er the plunder tussle:
Show sharp toothed gums, in one another’s muzzle
And challenge strife. Here one keen pair of eyes have
Flown to the shipwreck on the reef; the cries of
Their owner summoned others. Swift to leeward
A troop of apes has scrambled up the plane tree
That stiffens ’mid the palms—a lonely sentry,
And one strong arm points furthest out to seaward.
From this, in shorter time than takes to write it,
Of apes and cat-apes swings a girdle dappled,
Upon the branch, with feet and tail united.
The first, head prone to earth, is firmly grappled,
And, with both hands, the ape below it claspeth
Fast by the tail; this ape a third’s tail graspeth;
The third a fourth—and so ad libitum—
Head downwards, back to seaward—sight amazing,
They hang—the ground the last link all but grazing.
And now this long and living pendulum,
All hands and arms in rapid agitation,
Swings to and fro, more swift at each pulsation,
Till far beyond the wave line to where’s lying
Th’ ill fated wreck, the lowest ape is flying:
