University of Virginia Library

ACT III.

SCENE I.

Point Levi.
Wolfe, Leonatus and Britannicus.
Wolfe.
This distant battery avails us not;
We waste our troops and harrass out our men,
And expend our ball and powder but to
Little purpose: I long to see our foes,
And grapple with them in a close engagement.

Britannicus.
In that let all our resolutions fix,
And let ev'ry movement center in that
Purpose, to Montmorenci let's transfer
The war, and with all our force united,
Steadily pursue the end we've plann'd, and
Launch destruction 'mongst their troops.

Wolfe.
Your sentiments concur with mine:
To-morrow we'll attack 'em; th' Admirals
Have promis'd all th' assistance in their pow'r,
And I doubt not the hearty concurrence
Of their officers and th' English seamen.

Leonatus.
All our officers and troops seem well pleas'd
And once fully resolv'd; they only wait
The signal for the undertaking.

Britannicus.
A greater emulation ne'er was known,
Nor firmer union ever subsisted,
Betwixt the soldiery and the seamen;
The sep'rate corps no more support with cool
Indifference each other's cause, nor in
Their wonted disagreement jar: All seem
To strive who shall be most alert t' exert
Themselves to gain a glorious name; and like
Gallant and faithful brothers in the war,
Aspire to stand with the most intrepid
Souls, the greatest shock of danger.

Wolfe.
We will not fail on our parts to answer
Their warmest expectations, and lead them
On to take gigantic danger by the
Throat; and tho' repell'd, we'll force the Frenchmen
To confess we fought like sons of liberty.
Now let us hence to where our several
Stations call us:
Meanwhile, let us not grow tardy, but with
Redoubled fury cannonade, and ply
Them with disploding storms of shells, as if
We meant to bury them in iron graves:
Perhaps some lucky shell, or shot, mark'd out
By fate, may do more than at other times,
A month of toilsome siege.

[Exeunt omnes

SCENE II.

The stage darkened, and two men placed behind the scenery with speaking trumpets, one at the front, and one at the inner end of the stage. A ship to appear.
Front Man.
Make a signal immediately for all the ships
Boats, and all the fleet to mann ship!

Inner Trumpet.
Bear a hand! bear a hand my lads!
Mann the boats! and pull up!
The fire ships are coming down the stream upon us!
[Boatswain pipes forward in the ship.
All hands, hoy!
Pipes a midship, at the middle or main hatchway.
All hands, hoy! tumble up, tumble up, there be
Pipes abaft, or at the after hatchway.
All hands, hoy!
[A great noise within of long-boat-men; yaulers, away, a running fore and aft, and clattering of the oars.
Out barge, hoy! a running, whurrow, whurrow,
Whurrow, whurrow, pipes to lower, pipes to stop.

Front Trumpet.
Bargemen, jump into the barge, and wait further orders.
Get the fire engine in readiness there!
Cheerly my boys! Cheerly!
Three or four boats clap along-side of that
Headmost fire ship, and tow her ashore on the
Larboard side of the river.
[As he speaks, a light appears on the left side of the stage. After a pause.
Have you hook'd the grapples men?

Sailor
answers.
We have her as safe as a thief in a halter;
But the tide runs strong.

Front Trumpet.
Pull up briskly half a dozen boats more there,
And tow her plump ashore!

[After a small time, the sailors huzza; one bawls out, she's safely stow'd away.
Front Trumpet.
There let her grow;
She makes a fine illumination:
Clear your grapples, and get off in the stream
In readiness.

[Inner Trumpet, Lieutenant Hatchway, Front Trumpet halloo.
Inner Trumpet.
Here's a whole fleet of fire ships, and fire floats,
Coming round the point:
The French are trading with Lucifer I think,
And have borrow'd th' infernal coast of him
For this might's service.

Front Trumpet.
If they've borrow'd his imps likewise,
To conduct the machinery, we have a parcel
Of brave hardy tars, that will play their parts
Manfully in the scene, and grapple with
Any terrors which can float upon the water!

Inner Trumpet.
Order more assistance here;
They're coming down upon us six knots!
And will be close on board of us in an instant!

[As he speaks, a great light appears.
Front Trumpet.
Row up there one whole division of boats!
My brave fellows! behave like British seamen;
There's warm duty for ye!

A Sailor
answers.
Never fear, Sir!
We'll tow them ashore, if the grapples hold,
Or we'll fry like sausages in the flames!

[All whurrow, whurrow.
Front Trumpet.
One whole division of boats; take up
That fire ship near the two decker, and tow
Her to starboard; and be sure mind to grapple
The floats which miss the headmost division,
And touch them ashore.

First Officer within.
Be ready with the fire engine!
Get up oars, poles, and booms there!
And mann the starboard side well!

Second Officer.
Brace all the yards; sharp fore and aft!
And mann the shrouds and yards with pole ax
Men to clear the fire ships grapples!

First Off.
Run both tiers of guns out double shotted,
And bring them all to bear upon the fire ship!
Carpenters! stand by to cut the cables!

Second Off.
Pull up your starboard oars briskly my lads!
And keep her well to starboard of us:
Take care; don't fall athwart the ship's hawse
Astern of us.

[Sailors bawl out, Whurrow, whurrow: Never fear, never fear.
Second Off.
She goes clear of us:
They have her under command.

[Inner Trumpet, Lieutenant Hatchway, Front Trumpet, halloo.
Inner Trumpet.
I can perceive no more fire floats and fire ships
Coming; that whole division may be employ'd
In picking up such as pass'd the Point.

Front Trumpet.
They are all clapp'd on board by this time,
And greatest part of them landed on Terra Firma:
The most mischief they've done us, was just
To singe one of the ships sides as they pass'd.

[All the sailors within, Huzza! huzza! huzza! scene closes; lights descend.

SCENE III.

Point Levi: Centinels call in this manner behind the scenes, going up the right side thrice; that is in the front, center, and rear, All's well: The like on the left side, rear, center and front, all's well: At a distance, as on board the fleet in the river, all's well; all's well; all's well; all's well; different voices.
Wolfe
Solus, in his Tent.
Enter a Sea Officer. Wolfe to him.

Sea Off.
They threaten'd us with no less than total
Ruin in one relentless blaze! it was
A master-stroke of policy, and the
French had like to have rais'd the siege at one
Decisive blow. We had warm and busy
Duty, and ev'ry boat belonging to
The fleet, was well employ'd.

Wolfe.
Upon this Point, wrapp'd in suspense I stood,
To see the fiery deluge rolling down
Upon us, nor stirr'd from hence, until each
Flame was row'd on shore, nor fail'd to mark with
Pleasure, the transactions of the boats, and
The activity of our tars.

Sea Off.
They all behav'd worthy of the fame they
Have 'midst fire and smoke, in naval battles
Gain'd: when first th' alarm was giv'n to mann our
Boats, to meet and stop the fire ships, and floats,
Turn'd adrift upon the stream towards us,
They ne'er betray'd one token of base fear,
Or backward tardiness for duty, tho'
All a-head appear'd, as if the fiery
Phlegethon had risen from its burning
Bed, and from the hostile walls, was pouring
Down it's sulph'rous torrent upon our fleet:
With all the speed their oars cou'd make, they row'd
Amidst the gloomy danger, surrounded
On each side by floating flame! and as they
Breath'd, drew in thick clouds of suffocating smoke:
Still, as fresh ships and fire floats, came pouring
Down, new spirits and new strength they seem'd to
Gain! with busy anxious minds they boldly
Wrought, and clear from ev'ry ship they tow'd
Th' infernal flame!

Wolfe.
Whilst they were busy in the burning war,
We in a vigilant suspense remain'd
For battle ready, we might repel the
Sudden onset expected from the French;
'Twas there they fail'd in policy.

Sea Off.
Perhaps in courage, Sir: 'tis seldom known
They beat up English camps, or board a ship,
Except when they are greatly superior
In their force and numbers, and have a most
Convenient opportunity.

Wolfe.
England, I think is most peculiarly
Happy in her naval powers; I see
No cause to doubt their future conduct in
This siege; we have here, brave; vigilant, and
Hardy officers and seamen.

Sea Off.
Their match in all his annual round the
Sun sees not, so capable of duty,
Or so agile in the working of the
Ship, and brimful of alacrity, when
Bearing down upon the foe to battle.
On the mortal verge of close engagement,
I've seen their souls o'erflow with joy! and their
Full charg'd hearts, like rivers rising o'er their
Banks, pour out a flood of rough but apt and
Daring sentiments!
England exult! tell wond'ring nations round,
Thy freeborn tars mock at the name of fear!
Fear not my lads says ev'ry British tar,
And plunges thro' the thunder of the fight!
Where flame and death, and war, rage in the most
Tumultuous manner, there shout Britannik's
Seamen, and with delight engage!

Wolfe.
I hope they'll still deserve the name they've gain'd,
And live in friendly union with our troops:
To-morrow I intend another rough
Trial of their bravery and spirit,
When they shall launch our sons of Mars upon the shore.

Sea Off.
I'll pawn my life our sailors will not fail.
I hid you, Sir, good night,

Wolfe.
The same to you, Sir.

[Exit Officer.
Wolfe
solus.
O thou, whose never sleeping eyes pierce at
One glance thro' space immense, watch o'er our camp!
Retard all hostile ills! and shield us from surprise!

[Exit Wolfe, & the scene closes.

SCENE IV.

The French Camp at Montmorenci, Montcalm and Bougainville.
Montcalm.
Our grand scheme is baffled, and all our hopes
From that quarter are frustrated.

Bougainville.
I had such a firm reliance on it,
I thought it would surpass all human pow'r
To baffle it: I expected no less
Than universal ruin to their fleet,
To have seen their powder blaze, and all their
Stores expire in flames, whilst from their ships they
Leapt by hundreds, and plung'd to watry death
Below, t'escape the burning war above:
At least, I thought the greedy flame wou'd have
Devour'd sev'ral ships, and forc'd some others
On the shore, and some whole crews have perish'd
In the wild confusion!

Montcalm.
But see how contrary last night's event!
Their sailors seem another race of men,
Whene'er compar'd 'gainst other countries tars,
And like the water, sulphur, smoke and flame!
Seem almost to be their element! they
Laugh at threat'ning danger! and play with black
Destruction!—

Bougainville.
They've done this night, what England may ever
Boast, what France will scarce believe, and other.
Nations stand astonish'd at!

Montcalm.
Ungrateful truth! How many of us from
Our diff'rent posts, mark'd with what unconcern,
And cheerful resolution, they met the
Flaming fleet! Oars mix'd with oars, like persons
Striving for the goal! the sternmost drove the
Headmost on! cheering each other with their
Noise! all full of emulation, who shou'd
Throw the grapples first! and thronging fiercely
To catch each flame, they form'd (if I may use
Th' expression) a sort of naval phalanx,
Too firm, for any of our fire floats to
Pass, and do the wish'd-for execution!

Bougainville.
For the future, but little from the like
We can expect: they are forewarn'd, and will
Not now be off their guard. Besides, it was
The chiefest effort we, can make, and they
Who baffled this, will sneer at all our vain attempts.

Montcalm.
Next we may expect to meet them on the
Shore; for flush'd with this success, and full of
Indignation at the great design, no
Doubt they'll make some desp'rate push, by way of
Fierce retaliation.—Let us expect
The worst, 'twill rouze us more! and if we can
Repel them now, perhaps they'll raise the siege.

Bougainville.
Let them come on!—we fear 'em not!
We're ready!—They shall have a warm welcome!

Montcalm.
And such I hope, as will prevent their bold
Intrusion for the future.

[Exeunt.