在遥远的萨摩亚海岸，在那里，长达一个联盟的滚轮把太平洋的海浪倾泻在珊瑚守卫的海湾上，轻轻自在地行驶，在热带海洋的平静中，三个大国的军舰锚下自豪地停泊着。迎风轻行，身后是珊瑚礁，三艘德国船和三艘美国船映照在蓝色的倒影里;在一艘船上展开的是统治世界的旗帜——因为在古老的卡利欧比船上飘扬着英格兰的旗帜。当几乎没有吹动树木的离岸微风，降至完全的寂静，玻璃开始掉落时，越过主干道，即将来临的飓风降了下来，远处的海面上，乌云像帷幔一样垂下。如果消息传开了，“我们搬到更安全的地方去吧;让我们乘船出海吧!”——这样他的故事就不用讲了!但每个船长似乎都在说:“如果其他人留下，我就留下!”他们在停泊处逗留，直到夜幕降临。然后乌云迅速地靠近他们，突然一阵狂风，飓风从千里之外的陆地上呼啸而来!就像一头狮子扑向它的猎物，风暴之魔跃上海湾，船只颤抖着，因为他们的缆绳感到了压力。 As the surging seas came by, That were running mountains high, The vessels started dragging, drifting slowly to the lee; And the darkness of the night Hid the coral reefs from sight, And the Captains dared not risk the chance to grope their way to sea. In the dark they dared not shift! They were forced to wait and drift; All hands stood by uncertain would the anchors hold or no. But the men on deck could see, If a chance for them might be, There was little chance of safety for the men who were below. Through that long, long night of dread, While the storm raged overhead, They were waiting by their engines, with the furnace fires aroar; So they waited, staunch and true, Though they knew, and well they knew, They must drown like rats imprisoned if the vessel touched the shore. When the grey dawn broke at last, And the long, long night was past, While the hurricane redoubled, lest its prey should steal away, On the rocks, all smashed and strown, Were the German vessels thrown, While the Yankees, swamped and helpless, drifted shorewards down the bay. Then at last spoke Captain Kane, "All our anchors are in vain, And the Germans and the Yankees they have drifted to the lee! Cut the cables at the bow! We must trust the engines now! Give her steam, and let her have it, lads! we'll fight her out to sea!" And the answer came with cheers From the stalwart engineers, From the grim and grimy firemen at the furnaces below; And above the sullen roar Of the breakers on the shore Came the throbbing of the engines as they laboured to and fro. If the strain should find a flaw, Should a bolt or rivet draw, Then -- God help them! for the vessel were a plaything in the tide! With a face of honest cheer Quoth an English engineer, "I will answer for the engiines that were built on old Thames-side! "For the stays and stanchions taut, For the rivets truly wrought, For the valves that fit their faces as a glove should fit the hand. Give her every ounce of power; If we make a knot an hour Then it's way enough to steer her, and we'll drive her from the land." Life a foam-flake tossed and thrown, She could barely hold her own, While the other ships all helplessly were drifting to the lee. Through the smother and the rout The Calliope steamed out -- And they cheered her from the Trenton that was foundering in the sea. Ay! drifting shoreward there, All helpless as they were, Their vessel hurled upon the reefs as weed ashore is hurled, Without a thought of fear The Yankees raised a cheer -- A cheer that English-speaking folk should echo round the world.