THE CHESAPEAKE PRIZE TO THE SHANNON.

II.

AT Boston one day,

As the Chesapeake lay,

The Captain and crew thus began on;

"See that ship out at sea!

She our prize soon shall be,

'Tis the tight little frigate the Shannon :
How I long to be drubbing the Shannon,
We shall soon make a prize of the Shannon ;
Oh! 'twill be a good joke,

To take Commodore Broke,

And add to our navy the Shannon."

Then he made a great bluster,

Calling all hands to muster,

And said, "Now, boys, stand firm to your cannon:
Let us get under weigh,

Without further delay,

And capture the insolent Shannon.

We soon shall bear down on the Shannon,
The Chesapeake's prize is the Shannon:
Within two hours' space,

We'll return to this place,

And bring into harbour the Shannon !"

Now alongside they range

And broadsides they exchange,

But the Yankees soon flinch from their cannon;
When captain and crew,

Without further to do,

G

Are attack'd sword in hand from the Shannon;
By the tight little tars of the Shannon,
The brave Commodore of the Shannon
Fir'd a friendly salute,

Just to end the dispute,

And the Chesapeake struck to the Shannon.

Let America know

The respect she should show

To our national flag and our cannon;

And let her take heed,

That the Thames and the Tweed

Give us tars just as brave as the Shannon.
Here's to Commodore Broke of the Shannon,
To the sons of Thames, Tweed, and Shannon:
May the Olive of Peace

Soon bid enmity cease,

From the Chesapeake's shores to the Shannon.

FROM the SUFFOLK GARLAND.

THE CAPTAIN.-A LEGEND OF THE NAVY.

He that only rules by terror

Doeth grievous wrong.

Deep as hell I count his error,

Let him hear my song.

Brave the captain was: the seamen

Made a gallant crew,

Gallant sons of English freemen,

Sailors bold and true.

But they hated his oppression,
Stern he was and rash;

So for every light transgression
Doomed them to the lash.

Day by day more harsh and cruel
Seem'd the captain's mood.

Secret wrath like smother'd fuel
Burnt in each man's blood.
Yet he hoped to purchase glory,
Hoped to make the name

Of his vessel great in story,
Wheresoe'er he came.

So they pass'd by capes and islands,
Many a harbour-mouth,

Sailing under palmy highlands,

Far within the south.

On a day when they were going

O'er the lone expanse,

In the north, her canvass flowing,

Rose a ship of France.

Then the captain's colour heighten'd,

Joyful came his speech:

But a cloudy gladness lighten'd

In the eyes of each.

Chase," he said: the ship flew forward,

And the wind did blow ;

Stately, lightly, went she nor'ward,

Till she neared the foe.

Then they look'd at him they hated, Had what they desired:

Mute with folded arms they waited—

Not a gun was fired.

But they heard the foeman's thunder

Roaring out their doom;

All the air was torn in sunder,

Crashing went the boom.

Spars were splinter'd, decks were shatter'd,

Bullets fell like rain;

Over mast and deck were scatter'd

Blood and brains of men.

Spars were splinter'd; decks were broken;

Every mother's son

Down they dropp'd—no word was spoken— Each beside his gun

On the decks as they were lying,

Were their faces grim.

In their blood, as they lay dying,

Did they smile on him.

Those, in whom he had reliance

For his noble name,

With one smile of still defiance

Sold him unto shame.

Shame and wrath his heart confounded,

Pale he turn'd and red,

Till himself was deadly wounded

Falling on the dead.

Dismal error! fearful slaughter!

Years have wander'd by,

Side by side beneath the water

Crew and captain lie;

There the sunlit ocean tosses

O'er them mouldering,

And the lonely sea-bird crosses

With one waft of the wing.

ALFRED TENNYSON.

THE RETURN OF THE ADMIRAL.

How gallantly, how merrily,

We ride along the sea!
The morning is all sunshine,

The wind is blowing free,
The billows are all sparkling,

And bounding in the light,

Like creatures in whose sunny veins
The blood is running bright.

All nature knows our triumph,

Strange birds about us sweep;
Strange things come up to look at us,
The masters of the deep:

In our wake, like any servant,

Follows even the bold shark:
Oh, proud must be our Admiral
Of such a bonny barque !

Proud, proud must be our Admiral,
(Though he is pale to-day,)

Of twice five hundred iron men,

Who all his nod obey;