But oh! they've robbed us of our all, They've taken all but life, And we'll rejoice and bless the Lord, If this may end the strife. And now I've told my mournful tale, I hope you'll all agree To help our cause and break the jaws Of cruel tyranny. URIAH TERRY. CHAPTER VIII THE WAR ON THE WATER At the outbreak of the Revolution, the colonies had no navy, but a number of cruisers and privateers were soon fitted out, and by the end of 1776 nearly three hundred British vessels had fallen into the hands of the Americans. This activity was kept up during the succeeding year, the cruise of the Fair American, as described in the old ballad of that name, being one of the most noteworthy. THE CRUISE OF THE FAIR AMERICAN [1777] The twenty-second of August, Before the close of day, All hands on board of our privateer, We got her under weigh; We kept the Eastern shore along, For forty leagues or more, Then our departure took for sea, From the isle of Mauhegan shore. Bold Hawthorne was commander, A man of real worth, Old England's cruel tyranny Induced him to go forth; She, with relentless fury, Was plundering all our coast, And thought, because her strength was great, Our glorious cause was lost. Yet boast not, haughty Britons, Of power and dignity, By land thy conquering armies, Thy matchless strength at sea; Since taught by numerous instances Americans can fight, With valor can equip their stand, Your armies put to flight. Now farewell to fair America, Farewell our friends and wives; We trust in Heaven's peculiar care For to protect their lives; To prosper our intended cruise Upon the raging main, And to preserve our dearest friends Till we return again. The wind it being leading, It bore us on our way, As far unto the southward As the Gulf of Florida; Where we fell in with a British ship, Bound homeward from the main; We gave her two bow-chasers, And she returned the same. We haulèd up our courses, And so prepared for fight; The contest held four glasses, Until the dusk of night; Then having sprung our main-mast, And had so large a sea, We dropped astern and left our chase Till the returning day. Next morn we fished our main-mast, The ship still being nigh, All hands made for engaging, Our chance once more to try; But wind and sea being boisterous, Our cannon would not bear, We thought it quite imprudent And so we left her there. We cruisèd to the eastward, Near the coast of Portugal, In longitude of twenty-seven We saw a lofty sail; We gave her chase, and soon perceived She was a British snow Standing for fair America, With troops for General Howe.