tack,
Or a brace, did she slack,
Tho' the Frenchmen laugh'd and thought it stuff;
But they knew not the handful of men, how tough
On board of the _Arethusa_.

On deck five hundred men did dance,
The stoutest they could find in France;
We with two hundred did advance
On board of the _Arethusa_.
Our captain hailed the Frenchmen, Ho!
The Frenchmen they cried out, Hallo!
"Bear down, d'ye see, To our admiral's lee."
"No, no," says the Frenchman, "that can't be;"
"Then I must lug you along with me,"
Says the saucy _Arethusa_.

The fight was off the Frenchmen's land,
We forced them back upon their strand,
For we fought till not a stick would stand
Of the gallant _Arethusa_.
And now we've driven the foe ashore,
Never to fight with Britons more.
Let each fill a glass
To his favourite lass;
A health to our captain and officers true,
And all that belong to the jovial crew
Of the gallant _Arethusa_.

On the 23rd of June Admiral Keppel's fleet came in sight of that of the
French under the command of the Comte D'Orvilliers. After an engagement
of some hours, the French fleet took to flight during the night, and
escaped into Brest.

It is impossible to relate the numberless gallant actions which from
this period took place for many years between the ships of Great Britain
and her enemies.

In consequence of charges exhibited by Sir Hugh Palliser against Admiral
Keppel for his conduct in the engagement just mentioned, a court-martial
was held at the governor's house at Portsmouth to try him, when the
following sentence was pronounced:--"That in their opinion the charge
against Admiral Keppel is malicious and ill-founded, it having appeared
that the said admiral, so far from having, by misconduct or neglect of
duty on the days therein alluded to, lost an opportunity of rendering
essential service to the State, and thereby tarnished the honour of the
British Navy, behaved as became a judicious, brave, and experienced
officer."

On the following day Admiral Keppel received the thanks of both Houses
of Parliament.

Not long after this the "gallant _Arethusa_" was wrecked upon the rocks
near Ushant, in pursuit of an enemy. The crew were saved, and treated
by the French with great humanity.

On the 15th of June, 1779, his Royal Highness Prince William Henry
embarked on board his majesty's ship _Prince George_, 90 guns, to serve
as a midshipman in the navy. The next day