The lead in to Hardy's "Night of Trafalgar" might add more levity :

http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext03/dynst10.txt

SECOND BURGHER
Now how did they bring him home so that he could lie in state
afterwards to the naked eye!

FIRST BOATMAN
Well, as they always do,--in a cask of sperrits.

SECOND BURGHER
Really, now!

FIRST BOATMAN (lowering his voice)
But what happened was this. They were a long time coming, owing to
contrary winds, and the "Victory" being little more than a wreck.
And grog ran short, because they'd used near all they had to peckle
his body in. So--they broached the Adm'l!


SECOND BURGHER
How?


FIRST BOATMAN
Well; the plain calendar of it is, that when he came to be unhooped,
it was found that the crew had drunk him dry. What was the men to
do? Broke down by the battle, and hardly able to keep afloat, 'twas
a most defendable thing, and it fairly saved their lives. So he was
their salvation after death as he had been in the fight. If he
could have knowed it, 'twould have pleased him down to the ground!
How 'a would have laughed through the spigot-hole: "Draw on, my
hearties! Better I shrivel that you famish." Ha-ha!


SECOND BURGHER
It may be defendable afloat; but it seems queer ashore.


FIRST BOATMAN
Well, that's as I had it from one that knows--Bob Loveday of
Overcombe--one of the "Victory" men that's going to walk in the
funeral. However, let's touch a livelier string. Peter Green,
strike up that new ballet that they've lately had prented here,
and were hawking about town last market-day.


SONG
THE NIGHT OF TRAFALGAR
I

In the wild October night-time, when the wind raved round the land,
And the Back-sea(12) met the Front-sea, and our doors were blocked
with sand,
And we heard the drub of Dead-man's Bay, where bones of thousands are,
We knew not what the day had done for us at Trafalgar.
                  (All) Had done,
                        Had done,
                  For us at Trafalgar! ...........