The Valiant

The valiant was a noble bark
     As ever ploughed the sea,
A noble crew she also had
     As ever there might be.

When once at night upon the deep
     The Valiant did sail,
Her captain saw a pirate ship
     By the moonlight dim and pale.

Then up he called his goodly crew
     And unto them thus spake:
“A musket and a cutlass sharp
     Each must directly take.

“For yonder see a pirate ship,
     Behold her flag so dark;
See now the gloomy vessel
     Makes straight for this our bark.”

Scarce had the Captain spoke those words
     Than a shot o’er his head did fly
From the deck of the pirate ship which now
     To the Valiant was hard by.

Approaching near, twelve desperate men
     On the Valiant’s deck did leap,
But some there were less brave and strong
     Who to their ship did keep.

And then a moment afterwards
     Did a bloody fray ensue,
And as the time sped onward
     Fiercer the fray it grew.

“Come on!” the Valiant’s captain cried,
     “Come on, my comrades brave,
And if we die we shall not sink
     Inglorious ’neath the wave.”

When the morning came, and the men arose,
     The pirates, where were they?
The ship had sunk and all its crew;
     Dead ’neath the sea they lay.