And rolls the thunder drum of heaven,
Child of the sun! to thee 't is given

To guard the banner of the free,
To hover in the sulphur smoke,
To ward away the battle stroke,
And bid its blendings shine afar,
Like rainbows on the cloud of war,
The harbingers of victory!

Flag of the brave! thy folds shall fly,
The sign of hope and triumph high!
When speaks the signal trumpet tone,
And the long line comes gleaming on,
Ere yet the lifeblood, warm and wet,
Has dimmed the glistening bayonet,
Each soldier eye shall brightly turn
To where thy sky-born glories burn,
And, as his springing steps advance,
Catch war and vengeance from the glance.
And when the cannon-mouthings loud,

Heave in wild wreaths the battle shroud,
And gory sabers rise and fall

Like shoots of flame on midnight's pall,
Then shall thy meteor glances glow,

And cowering foes shall shrink beneath
Each gallant arm that strikes below

That lovely messenger of death.

Flag of the seas! on ocean wave
Thy stars shall glitter o'er the brave;
When death, careering on the gale,
Sweeps darkly round the bellied sail,
And frighted waves rush wildly back
Before the broadside's reeling rack,
Each dying wanderer of the sea

Shall look at once to heaven and thee,
And smile to see thy splendors fly
In triumph o'er his closing eye.

Flag of the free heart's hope and home!
By angel hands to valor given;
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome,

And all thy hues were born in heaven.
Forever float that standard sheet !

Where breathes the foe but falls before us, With Freedom's soil beneath our feet,

And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us?

THE YOUNG SAILOR

RICHARD HENRY DANA, JR.

RICHARD HENRY DANA, JR. (1815-1882), was an American lawyer. His book, "Two Years before the Mast," was written from his own experience, and this one step in the path of literature was enough to make him famous. It was among the most popular books of the time.

5 The 14th of August was the day fixed upon for the sailing of the brig "Pilgrim" on her voyage from Boston, round Cape Horn, to the western coast of North America. As she was to get under way early in the afternoon, I made my appearance on board at twelve o'clock, in full 10 sea rig, with my chest, containing an outfit for the two or three years' voyage which I had undertaken from a determination to cure, if possible, by an entire change of life, a weakness of the eyes which no medical aid seemed likely to remedy.

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The change from the tight frock coat, silk cap, and kid gloves of an undergraduate at Harvard, to the loose trousers, checked shirt, and tarpaulin hat of a sailor, though somewhat of a transformation, was soon made; and I supposed that I should pass very well for a Jack 20 Tar. But it is impossible to deceive the practiced eye in these matters; and while I thought myself to be looking as salt as Neptune himself, I was, no doubt, known for a landsman by every one on board as soon as I hove in sight.

of

A sailor has a peculiar cut to his clothes, and a way wearing them which a green hand can never get. The trousers, tight round the hips, and thence hanging long and loose round the feet, a low-crowned, well-varnished black hat, worn

on the back of the head, with half a fathom of black ribbon hanging over the left eye, and a slip tie to the black silk neckerchief, with sundry other minutiæ, are signs, the want of which betrays the beginner at once. Besides the points in my dress which were out of

the way, doubt

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less my complexion and hands were quite enough to distinguish me from the regular salt, who, with a sunburnt cheek, wide step, and rolling gait, swings his bronzed 25 and toughened hands athwartships, half opened, as though just ready to grasp a rope.

"With all my imperfections on my head," I joined the crew, and we hauled out into the stream, and came to anchor for the night. The next day we were employed in preparation for sea, reeving studding-sail gear and 5 taking on board our powder. On the following night I stood my first watch.

I remained awake nearly all the first part of the night from fear that I might not hear when I was called; and when I went on deck so great were my ideas of the 10 importance of my trust that I walked regularly fore and aft the whole length of the vessel, looking out over the bows and taffrail at each turn, and was not a little surprised at the coolness of the old seaman whom I called to take my place, in stowing himself snugly away under 15 the long boat for a nap. That was a sufficient lookout, he thought, for a fine night, at anchor in a safe harbor.

The next morning was Saturday, and, a breeze having sprung up from the southward, we took a pilot on board, hove up our anchor, and began beating down the bay. 20 As we drew down into the lower harbor we found the

wind ahead in the bay, and were obliged to come to anchor in the roads. We remained there through the day and a part of the night.

My watch began at eleven o'clock, and I received 25 orders to call the captain if the wind came out from the

westward. About midnight the wind became fair, and, having summoned the captain, I was ordered to call all