The Sunburst and Tricolor.
[Written previous to sailing for Australia,
and dedicated to the “U.I.B.”]
Air.—Down, down in our village.
Comrades, around, come let us sing, The Sunburst and the Tricolor; Our hearts’ affections ’round them cling, With hope and pride for evermore. Now first to thee our fathers raised, Proud standard of the mighty dead! Whose golden glory flashed and blazed In triumph, o’er their victor tread. The Green! the Green! With emerald sheen, Though Time hath tarnished many a fold; The blood and tears, And dust of years, ’Twill cast them off when once unrolled. Our own old flag, Our dear old flag, Our native Green! Our own dear flag, ’Twill wave again, O’er earth and main, Our native Green! Our Sunburst flag.
Hurrah! ’tis freedom’s earliest dawn, Bright streamers flash the cloudy skies; Out from the night of slavery drawn, Behold our Tricolor arise! The emblem of a patriot’s love, The symbol of a Nation’s faith, We swear each fold that floats above, To hold and guard it until death. Soon may we see Amongst the free Our Tricolor, a standard brave! Green, white and gold, Proudly unrolled, Triumphant over Ireland wave! Our own young flag, Our dear young flag, Our Tricolor. Our brave young flag, Long torn and tried; Now side by side, True hearts uphold, Our brave young flag.
Footnotes:
[1] Comptroller-General.
[2] Nickname of the prison chaplain.
[3] Prison slang, meaning slipping away.
[4] Slang for police.
[5] Major Finnerty, commanding the military in Freemantle; bugle being slang for nose, and the major’s fuddled up to the orthodox rosy red.
[6] W. F. C. Robinson, Governor of West Australia, who was so eager to capture us that he personally assisted to put the cannon and ammunition on board.
[7] Colonel Harvest, commander of the forces in West Australia.
[8] American sailors called Ursa Major the Dipper.
[9] Meeting the Gulf-weed out at sea encouraged Columbus and his sailors to continue on their course, it being considered an indication of land.
Transcriber's Notes:
Typographical errors have been silently corrected.