Page:Twenty years before the mast - Charles Erskine, 1896.djvu/50

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CHAPTER III




Rio de Janeiro is built at the entrance of a bay one hundred miles in circumference, sprinkled here and there with ever green islands. There the flags of all nations may be seen, each floating from a man-of-war. Among other vessels there was the English line-of-battle ship Thunderer, of ninety guns and a crew of one thousand men. They usually sang on board of her every night, and always wound up at eight bells by singing the first or second part of "The Chesapeake and Shannon," which was very aggravating to American patriotism.

The Chesapeake and Shannon;
or,

The Glorious Fight Off Boston Lighthouse.

I.

"She comes, she comes, in glorious style.
To quarters fly, ye hearts of oak!
 Success shall soon reward our toil,"
Exclaimed the gallant Captain Broke.
"Three cheers, my brave boys, let your ardor bespeak,
And give them a round from your cannon,
And soon they shall find that the proud Chesapeake
Shall lower her flag to the Shannon."