THE GHEAT CITIZEN ARMY.

Observer, Volume 7, Issue 237, 28 March 1885, Page 14

THE GHEAT CITIZEN ARMY.

Written and Eead toe the Benefit of Mr J. A. Cram., at the Theatre Koyai,,

Auckland, March 25th, 1885

On the rugged hills- of Scotland, where the heath and thistle grow, 'JNeath the crested mountain summits, crowned with ice, and decked with snow, In the pleasant Lowland valleys, by the river and the stream, In the towns and in the cities where the toiling myriads teem, There the freemen, still unconquered, still tmconquerable stand, In their scried ranks unbroken, keen of eye, and strong of hand ; Proud of still unsullied glories, gallant deeds of bygone years, Stand the stalwart sons of Scotia, stand the Scottish Volunteers.

On the sunlit plains of England, where the lark's sweet anthem swells, By the streams that purl and murmur through the woodlands and the dells ; "Where the roses fling their fragrance on the lazy summer breeze, And the yellow cornfields glisten like the wavelets of the seas ; Where the hardy Saxon bowman fought the mail-clad Norman knights, There they stand., those sons of victors, proud and jealous of their rights ; Where the rugged rocks resisting for innumerable years, The roaring surges dashing, stand Old England's Volunteers.

Wear the mighty rushing torrents, fed with melting mountain snows, 'Mid the dense, dim "Western forests, where the great St. Lawrence flows ; Where the lithe-limbed axeman felling, with a strong untiring hand, Giant monarchs of the forest, still reveres the Motherland ; "Where the huntsman all the rigours of the icy winter dares, Seeking deer, and bear, and beaver in their fastnesses and lairs ; On the Erie and the Huron, where the hardy boatman steers Safely over wind-lashed waters, are Canadian Volunteers.

On the sun-scorched plains of India, where the sacred Ganges pours Ever onward to the ocean, and giant Dhawalaghiri soars Through the vaulted blue of heaven far as human eye can sean — Cold, majestic in its beauty, never trod by foot of man ! There the Moslem, Buddhist, Hindoo, bow to one Imperial head, And great hosts Of of swarthy soldiers, 'neath the British standard tread — ■ Sepoy, Sikh, and Ghoorka, each that battle flag uprears, And among that flag's defenders are the Indian Volunteers.

On Victoria's flowing prairies, on the uplands, in the vales, 'Mong the lowing herds of cattle, in the midst of fleecy bales ; "Where the music of the stampers sings the diggers lullaby, "Where the ships lie commerce -laden in Port Phillip by the sea. In the marts, where keen-eyed bidders are competing for the prize ; In the streets, where moving masses rush along with eager eyes ; In the cot, the lordly mansion, where some gorgeous structure rears Far aloft its topmost story — are Victoria's Volunteers.

In the land once called Alsaiia, home of felon, and of chain, Scene of crimes long since forgotten — haply never known again ; For the sun of freedom, breaking through the mists of olden time, Cleared away the clouds and darknesss, dissipated many a crime ; Now the warmth of patriotism lights each freeman's honest face, "Whence they sent their sons to battle for the Homeland of their race — New South Wales ! — whose wives and mothers steeled their hearts and dried their tears, Parting from their best and dearest, from those gallant Volunteers.

"Where the golden wavelets shimmer in a hundred lovely bays, Where the summer sun wraps nature in a fleecy, purple haze, "Where the skies are fairer, bluer than on Naples' classic shore, And the flowers smell of heaven, as in Edenland of yore. In this fairy land, this Auckland, there are gallant men and leal, There are Lucases and Parslows — eyes of eagles, nerves of steel ; There are men who went to battle, 'mid the sorrow and the tears, In the time of sad disaster — gallant Auckland Volunteers.

From the snow-clad land of Gaels, from the sunlight English plains, From the mountain homes of Wales, march the three triumphant trains ; From the shamrock-covered meadows, from the Lakeland and the hill, From old Ireland, land of heroes, land of many a hero still ; From Canadian lakes and rivers, from India's sunny strand, From Australia's rolling prairies, from our own beloved land ; Free ! unbought, unwhipped, unfettered, not like driven serfs in tears, But with heads erect and fearless, stand New Zealand's Volunteers.

CITAS. O. MONTKOSE.

Auckland, March 25th, 1885