The following lines were written by Joseph G. Clark, one of the crew, who fought so bravely and had his upper lip nearly cut off in the fight:
Wilkes Henry.
He went to his home, where his kind mother dwelt,
To tell her the squadron was ready to sail,
And merry the heart of the young sailor felt,
For bright was the morning and fair was the gale.
In vain were his efforts her tears to restrain,
By reciting the hopes that inspired him with joy,
For she secretly felt, — oh, how keen was the pain! —
That this was the last she would see of her boy.
The hand of his mother he grasped in his own,
And bade her farewell as he rose to depart;
She could breathe no response, for to her ’twas the tone
Of the death-knell of all that was dear to her heart.
He hastened on board and the anchors were "home,"
The wide canvas spread, his ship started from shore;
But ah! who can tell of the evil to come, —
He had left her indeed, to behold her no more!
To the Isle of Malolo, the lonely abode
Of a cannibal king and his murderous train,
The youth in the path of his duty trod,
Was attacked by the natives and treacherously slain.
I saw from his eye flash the heroic fire
Of a brave and true heart that was born to command;
He could not advance, and he would not retire,
But he stood, fought and fell with his knife in his hand.
To a desolate island his body we bore,
And laid his remains with his comrade to rest.
