‘The Cyprus Brig’

Frank McNamara (‘Frank the Poet’)

Come all you sons of Freedom, a chorus join with me,

I’ll sing a song of heroes and glorious liberty.

Of lads condemned from England upon Van Diemen’s Shore,

Their Country, friends and parents, to never see them more.

A second sentence being incurred we were ordered for to be

Sent to Macquarie Harbour, that place of tyranny.

The hardships we’d to undergo are matters of record,

But who believes the convict, or who regards his word?

Starved and flogged and punished, deprived of all redress,

The Bush our only refuge, with death to end distress.

Hundreds of us all shot down, for daring to be free,

Numbers caught and banished to life-long slavery.

But Swallow, Watt and Davis, were in our noble band,

Determined at the first chance to quit Van Diemen’s Land.

In heavy chains and guarded, on the Cyprus Brig conveyed

The topsails being hoisted, the anchor being weighed.

The wind it blew Sou’Westerly and on we went straightway,

And found ourselves all wind-bound, in gloomy Recherche Bay.

’Twas August eighteen twenty nine, with convicts all on board,

Lieutenant Carew left the Brig, and soon we passed the word.

The Doctor too was absent, the soldiers off their guard,

A better opportunity could never have occurred.

Confined within a dismal hole, we soon contrived a plan,

To capture now the Cyprus, or perish every man.

We first addressed the soldiers ‘for liberty we crave,

Give up your arms this instant, or the sea will be your grave,

By tyranny we’ve been oppressed, by your Colonial laws,

But we’ll bid adieu to slavery, or die in freedom’s cause.’

While some lads turned faint-hearted and begged to go ashore,

Eighteen boys rushed daring, and took the Brig and store.

We brought the sailors from below, and rowed them to the land

Likewise the wife and children of Carew in command.

Supplies of food and water, we gave the vanquished crew,

Returning good for evil, as we’d been taught to do.

The Morn broke bright the Wind was fair; we headed out to sea

With one more cheer for those on shore and glorious liberty.

For our elected captain, Bill Swallow was the man,

Who laid a course out neatly to take us to Japan.

Then sound your golden trumpets; play on your tuneful notes,

The Cyprus Brig is sailing, how proudly now she floats.

May fortune help the Noble lads, and keep them ever free

From Gags, and Cats, and Chains, and Traps, and Cruel Tyranny.