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Songs of Sea and Sail

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<h2>TRAFALGAR, 1805.</h2> We hailed the morning star Above the Spanish shore; Our cannon's random roar Then woke black Trafalgar. Where our foes Lay in the crescent bay We watched the fog bank gray Melt silently away As the sun uprose. Then rolled the deep alarm— The foeman's call to arm; And swiftly from our van There pass'd from man to man, "They will fight." With hearts that beat to chase We caught the growing gale, And 'neath a press of sail Bore up to take our place [Pg 14] On the right. Nelson, our admiral then, Greatest of all seamen, We cheered to death again As he pass'd; 'Round toward the land We tacked and stood about— The hills rang to our shout As lifted and blew out His last command From the mast. Then flash'd our full broadside, Roaring across the tide, As crashing side by side We broke their line; Thro' rolling clouds of smoke Burst in our prows of oak; Their tall sides bent and broke Like pine. As died the stagger'd blast The sails dropt to the mast; That broadside was their last! [Pg 15] One more to clip her wing! Quick away! Tigers our boarders spring, Cutlass to cutlass ring, In the fray. We heard no quarter call: A man stood every Gaul! Useless, their flag must fall That day. The fight thus well begun, We paused a breathing space; Each soul leapt to a face As Nelson in his grace Signaled "Well done!" Staying the tott'ring mast We rounded to the blast, Grappled the next that pass'd— A huge Spaniard. No room to lift the ports: Black gun to gun retorts— Lip locked to lip, Each man a firmer grip [Pg 16] On his lanyard. To save this pride of Spain A Frenchman joined the fight; Then roaring in our might We smote him with our right Twice, and again. "Cease! Cease!" our Captain cries. "She lies A silent wreck!" Three times we spared that foe, Yet from her came the blow That laid our hero low On the deck. What more for me to say, Save thro' the fatal fray We marked the hours that day With cheers! Our foes struck one by one; Yet when the fight was done We saw the misty sun Set thro' our tears. O England, strong yet free, [Pg 17] The crown we bear to thee, Laurels for victory! Weave cypress in the wreath: For he to whom thou gave The keeping of the wave, Nelson, the true, the brave, Has struck his flag to death. Oh, men of hero race, In what a fitting place To set his conquering star!— Amid the battle's roar, Under the rolling shore Where rises wild and hoar Cape Trafalgar. [Pg 18] <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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