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THE ARROW SLOOP OF WAR 289
And now we've taken the French fleet—Lord speed them on their
way !— Besides some more we burnt and sunk before we left the bay. May we always prove victorious while we sail on the seas, Against the French, the Dutch, the Danes, and all our enemies. |
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THE ARROW SLOOP OF WAR.
You Britons bold, that never was controul'd, come listen unto
me, And a song to you I'll sing, none but the truth you'll hear : Concerning of a fight, brave boys, which happen'd late, you
know, Commanded by bold Portlock, and the ship call'd the Arrow.
The most of people call'd her the Carpenter's Mistake,
Because she had two maintopsail-yards, and head and stern
alike. They said she'd prove a cofEn to all our brave ship's crew; But instead of that, my British boys made the Dutch dogs to
rue.
We being new constructed, they said our guns were leather; They said we steer'd by sleight of hand, they could not see our
ruther. They said our sides were gingerbread, and our shot were made
of clay, But the Dutch they prov'd full sorry on't when us they felt that
day.
On the thirteenth of September we saw a Dutch ship lay
All at anchor in Hallen's stream : we bore for her straightway.
In full fifteen minutes raked fore and aft we were
Before we could come up to her or bring our guns to bear.
But, when we did come up to her, our anchor we let go.
Their captain cries, ' Come, British boys, we will make sure of
you.' But when we did begin, my boys, the yards and rigging flew For raking us we paid them off, both for the old and new.
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