The Battle of the Nile

Come, all you British sailors bold, and listen to my song :
It's well worth your attention, and I will not keep you long;
It's of a British squadron that sailed the other day,
Commanded by Lord Nelson on the 29th of May.

We had just twelve sail of the line, our fleet it was no more,
Besides a frigate and a brig, to cruise the Straits all o'er.
In chasing of those French dogs our intention it was good,
With the wind at S.S.E., my boys, our course for Naples stood.

When we came to Naples no French fleet had been there;
Back to the isle of Sicily our course we then did steer,
Where we watered all our warlike ships, likewise refreshed our men.
All things complete, and the wind set fair, we put to sea again.

We scarce had made the island when a strange sail we spied,
Gave chase and soon came up with her she proved the Reguli.
She told us Malta was taken and the French fleet put to sea
With the whole of their old troops on board, bound for
Alexandrie.

Great was our disappointment; our ships their winds did haul,
And slowly standing down the coast in a silent cruise we call.
[ They sight the ' Pharos ' and open the bay.
And there we spied the French fleet about three leagues or more.

They bear down and form line of battle.
It was the first of August, that being our glorious day
When we began the action, 'twas in Aboukir Bay.

[The next verses name all the ships in their order.]

The Zealous led the way, my boys, .....
the Bellerophon and Minotaur,
All followed by the bold Vanguard, which made the French to rue.

We anchored alongside of them like lions bold and free,
When their masts and shrouds came tumbling down, what a glorious sight to see!

Then came the bold Leander, that noble fifty-four,
And on the bows of the Franklin she caused her guns to roar;
Gave her a dreadful drubbing, boys, and did severely maul,
Which caused them loud for quarter cry and down French colours haul.

Now the glory and the pride of France the l'Orient was called,
And in the centre of their line she got severely mauled ;
Gave her a dreadful drubbing, boys, took fire and up she blew,
With fourteen hundred souls on board which bid this world adieu.

And now we've taken the French fleet Lord speed them on their way !
Besides some more we burnt and sunk before we left the bay.
May we always prove victorious while we sail on the seas,
Against the French, the Dutch, the Danes, and all our enemies.