"About two months," replied Davenport. "For thirty-two days we traversed a dreary wilderness without meeting a human being."

"It was a great feat, and the men who performed it are entitled to high renown," said Hand.

"Many of them afterwards became distinguished," said Davenport. "Morgan, Dearborn, Meigs, Febiger, Greene and others were known to the enemy in after years."

Mr. Hand now proposed three cheers for the men of Arnold's expedition and three more for Mr. Davenport, both of which propositions were acted upon in the heartiest manner by the young men. Mr. Hand then said he had a song to sing to the tune of "Ye Mariners of England." It was not his own composition; he had found it in print, and knowing the music, thought it would be acceptable. Being pressed to sing, he complied, singing the following words:—

Ye freemen of Columbia,
Who guard our native coast,
Whose fathers won your liberty,
Your country's pride and boast;
Your glorious standard rear again,
To match your ancient foe,
As she roars on your shores,
Where the stormy tempests blow;
As she prowls for prey on every shore,
Where the stormy tempests blow.
The spirits of your fathers
Shall hover o'er each plain,
Where in their injured country's cause
The immortal brave were slain!
Where bold Montgomery fearless fell,
Where carnage strew'd the field,
In your might shall you fight,
And force the foe to yield;
And on the heights of Abraham
Your country's vengeance wield.
Columbia fears no enemy
That ploughs the briny main;
Her home a mighty continent,
Its soil her rich domain!
To avenge our much-loved country's wrongs,
To the field her sons shall fly,
While alarms sound to arms,
We'll conquer or we'll die.
When Britain's tears may flow in vain,
As low her legions lie!
Columbia's eagle standard
Triumphant then shall tower,
Till from the land the foe depart,
Driven by its gallant power.
Then, then, ye patriot warriors!
Our song and feast shall flow,
And no more, on our shore,
Shall war's dread tempests blow;
But the breeze of peace shall gently breathe,
Like the winds that murmur low.

The song was well received by the company, who were not disposed to be critical. The drum and fife were then brought into play, Brown and Hanson, without entreaty, striking up, "Come out, ye Continentallers." This rollicking tune called up such laughable associations, that one of the young men proposed that it should be sung. No one knew it entire, except Brown, the fifer, who had been the musician of his mess as well as of the company, and Brown complied with the repeated entreaties of the young men, singing the following ludicrous words in a cracked and weak remnant of a voice.

Come out, ye continentallers!
We're going for to go
To fight the red-coat enemy,
Who're plaguy "cute," you know.
Now, shoulder whoop!—eyes right and dress—
Front!—Davis, wipe your nose—
Port whoop!—that's slick—now, carry whoop!
Mike Jones, turn out your toes.
Charge bagnet!—that's your sort, my boys:
Now, quick time!—march!—that's right;
Just so we'd poke the enemy,
If they were but in sight.
Halt!—shoulder whoop!—stop laughing, Nick—
By platoons, wheel!—halt—dress!
Hold up your muzzles on the left;
No talking, more or less.
Bill Sneezer, keep your canteen down,
We're going for to travel;
"Captain, I wants to halt a bit,
My shoe is full of gravel."
Ho—strike up music—for'ard march!
Now point your toes, Bob Rogers;
See! yonder are the red-coat men—
Let fly upon 'em, sogers.

This song was written in the early part of the revolutionary war to burlesque the meeting of the country militia, and afterwards became very popular. Although Brown had not much voice, he managed to give a correct and exceedingly laughable expression to the old song.

"That may be all true enough of some of the country militia," said Robinson, "but in our village, there was no such foolery. Regulars—and British ones at that—couldn't have gone through a better training, or a better rill. One of the British officers at Saratoga said that the New England militia were equal to regulars; and as far as marching up to cannons' mouths and driving back dragoons goes, I think they were, myself. You see, for a long time previous to the battle of Lexington, we had trainings all around the country, and some of our officers were men who had seen some hard service in the old French War. Why, just look at the men that Ethan Allen and Arnold led against Ticonderoga, as strong a place as was ever fortified in the northern states. There was not a bolder or better conducted enterprise in the whole war."