Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/53

 

One night Commander Wilkes happened to appear on deck just as they were singing the obnoxious song, which seemed to annoy him extremely. I will do him the justice to say that, with all his tyranny, he was a true  American, and loved dearly the old flag. One of the crew went aft and asked him if we might return that  song next Saturday evening by giving them "The Parliaments of England." "Yes, my man," was the reply, "and give it to them in thunderous tones, with plenty of  Yankee lightning." Fifty of the best singers began to practice, and on the next Saturday evening, just as the  crew on board of the Thunderer had finished singing  their usual song, our chorus commenced:

Ye Parliaments of England, ye Lords and Commons too, Consider well what you’re about and what you mean to do. For you’re now at war with Yankees, and I’m sure you’ll rue the day You first roused the Sons of Liberty in North America. You thought our frigates were but few, and Yankees could not fight. Until bold Hull the Guerriere took, and banished her from sight. The Wasp next took your Frolic. You nothing said to that.