THE SLEEPING LION.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 187, 25 November 1876, Page 3

THE SLEEPING LION.

ft is not often we open our cotomns tn poetic effusions, considering that weekly rather than daily journals are the fitting mediums for such ; but we break through our rule to reproduce the following magnificent piece of word-painting, from the pen of Mr. Thomas Bracken. Perhaps there are few subjects, of whkb so mod* has been written anti talked about as the atrocities perpetrate)! by the Moslem miscreants, bot we question if it were possible to convpy in language more terse the disgraceful apathy exhibited by the British Government to the horrors and sufferings of the nnfortanate victims, than that given in the following tines : Wa* the British Lion sleeping— Under-worked and over-fed—

Whilst the murderers were heaping Pile on pile of Christian dead 1 Was the British Lion napping. Whilst the mongrels of Slambool, Wild with fiendish! rage, were tapping Christian blood from pool to pool t

Was the British Lion dreaming, Whilst the fiends were mocking Cod f " Allah Altbar "—blood b streaming. Streaming from each Christian clod. Where is alt the Lion's glory I Safety's gain is honor's has ; " Allah Hu,' r the Crescent gory, Waves beside St. George's Cross.

U the Lion's love of Freedom Nothing but a braggart's boast t Liberty and Justice need him, Why is he not at hi* post J Sleep* he as he slept when strangled Poland shrieked for help* again 1 Sleeps he as he slept when mangled Denmark cried for aid in vain t

Does the British Lion tremble, Frightened to rush boldly forth Where the murderers assemble l Sue r the Vuttui-e of the North, Savage though he be—ii swooping Down upon the Moslem hordes, Where the Cross of Christ is drooping, Hacked by Asiatic swords.

Is the Lion but a sleeper, Britain's hwy, pampered pet ? Whilst his mushroom noble keeper, Dons his coronet, Huodtess of ?he tortured women a Shrieks of anguish and despair, As the tierce inhuman demons Flash their crimson blades in air.

When he s waked by Africa savage, Tli en how warlike is his roar, Y«t the dog» of Islam ravage Christian temples at his door, An it id* slumbers are unbroken I I'.ut tlie pnopte are awake, Ar.ii Humanity has spoken : Let the Turkish tyrants quake."