“SAILOR'S SONG.
By Dick Wills, the Poet of Greenwich Hospital.

When the topsails are set, and the bars are all shipp'd,
And the drums and fifes merrily play,
Round the capstan we dance, till our anchor is tripp'd,
When the boatswain bawls “Heave and away:”
        To the fife's shrill sound,
        While the joke goes round,
We step with a pleasing delight;
        Dry nippers clapp'd on,
        We soon here the song,
“Heave, heave, my brave boys, and in sight." Then the sails are all trimm'd, and the anchor we stow,
Britain's white cliffs recede from our view,
Boundto sea on a cruise, we look out for the foe––
As one man is the whole of our crew:
        From mast-head they hail,
        “I see a strange sail,”
We obey (hope gladdening each face);
        The boatswain's shrill call,
        And the mate's hoarse bawl,
“All hands to make sail in the chase.”

Old Albion's proud flag at our peak we display,
And the tri-colour plainly discern:
“Cock your locks," cries the captain, now keep her way––
Steady! Point your guns right at her stern,
“Fire! fire! and rake her,
Now the shots shake her,
See, see, how her masts rattle down;
        The helm hard a-lee,
        Bold lads follow me!”
We board, and the frigate's our own
Then our ensign, so brave, o'er the tri-colour flies,
        Back to England our course we pursue;
The breezes are fair-moor'd in port with our prize––
And the king gives poor sailors their due;
        Rigg'd out so fine, oh,
        Plenty of rhino,
Grog, fiddles, and lasses so gay;
        We spend it on shore,
        Till duty once more
Cries “Heave! And the anchor's away.”



“...D'ye see, every order was exposed publicly for the ship's company to read, so that every man fore and aft knew what he had to do. This was his plan; 'Do your duty, and no one shall wrong you; neglect it and I'll punish.' Among other orders, there was one, that no man should sing out either in pulling a rope or any other duty, but all were to be silent as death. One day we we mooring ship, when some one sung out at the capstan, 'Hurrah, my boys, heave!' The captain heard it, 'Send that man on deck, directly.” The officer immediately pick'd him out, and, he was ordered aft under the sentry's charge.”
[Greenwich Hospital, The Log Book, Or, Nautical Miscellany, 1830]