Deep plow’d the cruiser’s prow The broken waves below, So bows a bull whose pride is full To toss a stubborn foe. She plung’d and reel’d and roll’d. Ah, better had she tack’d! The water flew the bulwark through. The mainmast bent and crack’d. The wind, it whistled there; The boatswain whistled here. The captain swore; the mainsail tore; The jib had ript its gear. A flood was on the deck. The crew were floundering round. Then, clean and chill, and safe and still, The cruiser lay aground.[15] When Lindsey saw her fate, So loudly cheer’d his men, The hostile crew, that heard them, flew To man their guns again. But Lindsey kept his course— He now could do no more— And told ere night the cruiser’s plight To those he met on shore.[17] “There stays the ship,” said he, “Till lifted by the tide.” “Till Providence shall lift her thence,” John Brown,[17] his friend, replied. And Providence, at dusk, Was routed out to greet The drumming fierce of Daniel Pierce[18] Who cried in every street: “The cruiser lies aground! High tide at three[18] o’clock! Who care to go and meet her so, Come all to Fenner’s[19] dock!” They came to Fenner’s dock; And found, awaiting there, Eight[19] yawls, that Brown[19] had lent the town, In Captain Whipple’s[19] care. The crews that mann’d the yawls Had muffled[19] every oar; And they, and men who join’d them then,[20] All told, were sixty-four.[21] Their arms were pick’d with care From all their friends could loan; And all the yawls, for cannon balls, Were stock’d with paving-stone.[22] They battled wind and tide, Three hours[23] amid the gloom. The midnight pass’d.[23] They saw, at last, The cruiser’s bulwarks loom. “Who comes?” her watch call’d out. “Who comes!” her captain cried. Then swift alarm’d, in tones that arm’d, Her crew that toward him hied. “Move off!” her captain roar’d, His pistol aiming well; Then fired[23]—alack! fire answer’d back; He started, stagger’d, fell. And then, as dark and fierce As tidal waves, where fleets Are whelm’d and whirl’d and downward hurl’d Till death their deed completes, Our men, at Whipple’s[19] cry, “Up, up!” clear’d every check; And dash’d and leapt and slash’d and swept Across the cruiser’s deck. But hold!—her men were gone. Ours held the deck alone; Their work had done, nor fired a gun; The cruiser’s crew had flown.[24] “Surrender here!” rang out; And out the cabin glanced At first a few, then all the crew; Then one and all advanced.