Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/293

 for the manner in which we had conducted ourselves during the cruise, and stated the confident belief that  we should receive from the Government such reward as  the successful result of the cruise and our long and perilous services entitled us to. A national salute of twenty- six guns was fired, and the broad pennant of Commodore Charles Wilkes was hauled down. The commodore then left the ship and proceeded to Washington. In the absence of the commodore, Captain William L.  Hudson took command, and proceeded with the vessel  to the Navy Yard at Brooklyn. As soon as our gallant ship — our home for four long years — was safely moored,  a steamboat came alongside and took all hands with  bags and hammocks on board. We soon landed, and were again free men in the land of freedom; and a jollier  set of tars it would be difficult to conceive of. To be relieved from four years of confinement and from the  severe discipline of a man-of-war was bliss indeed.

"Huzza, my boys! The ship Vincennes  Comes proudly o’er the wave; Bold Captain Wilkes in her command, Two hundred seamen brave. With joyful hearts and hopes all bright, These Yankee sailors come, And glorious, full, meridian light Shines on their passage home.

"These are my sons," bright Freedom cries, "From the Antarctic seas." And proudly from our mizzen flies The stars of Liberty.