"New edition". "Jessie's Dream, A Story of the Relief of the Lucknow" (1860) Dinna ye hear It? Dinna ye hear It? It's the slogan of the highlanders: We'er saved! We're saved! Written by Grace Cambell Composed by John Blockley, 1800-1882 Melbourne, Australia: Robert Mackie, 32 Swanston Street Music and General Printer: Clarson, Shallard, & Co., 80 Bourke Stree East, Melbourne [NOTE: about the Siege of Lucknow (India)] [Source: http://nla.gov.au/nla.mus-an6340852] The following is an extract from a letter written by M. de Banneroi, a French physician in the service of Mussur Rajah, and published in Le Pays (Paris paper), dated Calcutta, October 8th, 1857. "I give you the following account of the relief of Lucknow, as described by a lady, one of the rescued party:- 'On every side death stared us in the fave; no human skill could avert any longer. We saw the moment approach when we must bid farewell to earth, yet without feeling that unutterable horror which must have been experienced by the unhappy victims of Cawnpore. We were resolved rather to die than to yield, and were fully persuaded that in twenty-four hours all would be over. The engineers had said so, and all knew the worst. We women strove to encourage each other, and to perform the light duties which had been assigned to us,- such as conveying orders to the batteries, and supplying the men with provisions, especially cups of coffee, which we prepared day and night. I had gone out to try and make myself useful, in company with Jessie Brown, the wife of a corporal in my husband's regiment. Poor Jessie had been in a state of restless excitement all through the siege, and had fallen away visibly within the last few days. A constant fever consumed her, and her mind wondered occasionally,- especially that day, when the recollections of home seemed powerfully present to her. At last, overcome with fatigue, she lay down on the ground, wrapped up in her plaid. I sat beside her, promising to awaken her when, as she said, "her father should return from the ploughing." She fell at length into a profound slumber,- motionless, and, apparently, breathless; her head resting in my lap. I myself could no longer resist the inclination to sleep, in spite of the continual roar of the cannon. Suddenly I was aroused by a wild unearthly scream close to my ear; my companion stood upright before me, her arms raised, and her head bent forward in the attitude of listening. A look of intense delight broke over her countenance, she grasped my hand, drew me towards her, and exclaimed, "Dinna ye hear it? dinna ye hear it? Ay, I'm no dreaming', it's the slogan of the highlanders! We're saved, we're saved!" Then, flinging herself on her knees, she thanked God with passionate fervour. I felt utterly bewildered; my English ears heard only the roar of artillery, and I thought my poor Jessie was raving; but she darted to the batteries, and I heard her cry incessantly to the men, "Courage! courage! hark to the slogan- to the Macgregors, the grandest o' them a'! Here's help at last!" To describe the effect of these words upon the soldiers would be impossible. For a moment they ceased firing, and every soul listened in intense anxiety. Gradually, however, there arose a murmur of bitter disappointment, and the wailing of the women who had flocked to the spot burst out anew as the Colonel shook his head. Our dull lowland ears heard nothing but the rattle of musketry. A few more moments of this death-like suspense, of this agonizing hope, and Jessie, who had again sunk on the ground, sprang to her feet and cried, in a voice so clear and piercing that it was heard along the whole front line,- "Will ye no believe it now? The slogan has ceased indeed, but the Cambells are comin'! D' ye hear, d' ye hear?" At that moment we seemed to indeed to hear the voice of God in the distance, when the pibroch of the highlanders brought us tidings of deliverance, for now there was no longer any doubt of the fact. No, it was indeed the blast of the Scottish bagpipes, now shrill and harsh, as threatening vengeance on the foe,- then in softer tones seeming to promise succour to their friends in need. To our cheer of "God save the Queen," they replied by the well known strain that moves every Scot to tears, "Should auld acquaintance be forgot," &c. 1. Far awa' to bonnie Scotland Has my spirit ta'en its flight, An' I saw my Mither spinnin' In our highland hame at night; I saw the kye a browsing, My Father at the plough, And the grand auld hills aboon them a': Wad I could see them now! Oh! leddy, while upon your knees Ye held my sleepin' head, I saw the little kirk at hame, When Tam an' I were wed; I heard the tune the pipers play'd, I kenn'd its rise an' fa'; 'Twas the wild Macgregor's slogan- 'Tis the grandest o' them a'! 2. Hark! surely I'm no wildly dreamin', For I hear it plainly now;- Ye cannot, ye never heard it On the far off mountain's brow; For in your southern childhood Ye were nourished saft and warm; Nor watch'd upon the cauld hill side The risin' o' the storm. Aye! now the soldiers hear it, An' answer with a cheer, As "The Cambells are a comin'" Falls on each anxious ear. The cannons roar their thunder, An' the sappers work in vain, For high aboon the din o' war Resounds the welcome strain. 3. An' nearer still, an' nearer still, An' now again 'tis "Auld lang syne;" Its kindly notes like lifebluid rin, Rin through this puir sad heart o' mine; Oh! leddy dinna swoon awa! Look up! the evil's past! They're comin' now to dee wi' us, Or save us at the last. Then let us humbly, thankfully, Down on our knees and pray, For those who come thro' bluid and fire, To rescue us this day, That He may o'er them spread his shield, Stretch forth his arm an' save Bold Havelock an' his highlanders, The bravest o' the brave!