HERVÉ RIEL.

IN the sea and at the Hogue, sixteen hundred ninety-two,

Did the English fight the French,woe to France!

And the thirty-first of May, helter-skelter through the blue,

Like a crowd of frightened porpoises a shoal of sharks pursue,

Came crowding ship on ship to St. Malo on

the Rance,

With the English fleet in view.

'T was the squadron that escaped, with the victor in full chase :

First and foremost of the drove, in his great

ship, Damfreville;

Close on him fled, great and small, Twenty-two good ships in all; And they signalled to the place,

“Help the winners of a race!

Get us guidance, give us harbor, take us quick; or, quicker still,

Here's the English can and will!"

Then the pilots of the place put out brisk, and leaped on board :

"Why, what hope or chance have ships like these to pass?" laughed they;

"Rocks to starboard, rocks to port, all the passage scarred and scored,

Shall the Formidable' here with her twelve

and eighty guns

Think to make the river-mouth by the

single narrow way,

Trust to enter where 't is ticklish for a craft of twenty tons,

And with flow at full beside ?

HERVÉ RIEL.

IN the sea and at the Hogue, sixteen hundred ninety-two,

Did the English fight the French,woe to France !

And the thirty-first of May, helter-skelter through the blue,

Like a crowd of frightened porpoises a shoal

of sharks

pursue,

Came crowding ship on ship to St. Malo on

the Rance,

With the English fleet in view.

"T was the squadron that escaped, with the victor in full chase :

First and foremost of the drove, in his great

ship, Damfreville ;

Close on him fled, great and small, Twenty-two good ships in all; And they signalled to the place,

Get us guidance, give us harbor, take us quick;

or, quicker still,

Here's the English can and will!"

Then the pilots of the place put out brisk, and leaped on board:

"Why, what hope or chance have ships like these to pass?" laughed they;

"Rocks to starboard, rocks to port, all the passage scarred and scored,

Shall the Formidable' here with her twelve

and eighty guns

Think to make the river-mouth by the

single narrow way,

Trust to enter where 't is ticklish for a craft

of twenty tons,

And with flow at full beside ?

82

Now 't is slackest ebb of tide.

Reach the mooring? Rather say,
While rock stands, or water runs,
Not a ship will leave the bay!"

Then was called a council straight :
Brief and bitter the debate.

"Here's the English at our heels: would you
have them take in tow

All that's left us of the fleet, linked together stern and bow,

For a prize to Plymouth Sound?
Better run the ships aground!"
(Ended Damfreville his speech.)

"Not a minute more to wait!
Let the captains all and each.

Shove ashore, then blow up, burn the ves

sels on the beach!

France must undergo her fate."

"Give the word!" But no such word

Was ever spoke or heard ;