“And RODNEY, honoured sir, would grin To see you turning deadeyes in, Not _up_, as in the ancient way, But downwards, like a cutter’s stay— You didn’t oughter; Besides, in seizing shrouds on board, Breast backstays you have quite ignored; Great RODNEY kept unto the last Breast backstays on topgallant mast— They make it tauter.” SIR BLENNERHASSET “swifted in,” Turned deadeyes up, and lent a fin To strip (as told by JASPER KNOX) The iron capping from his blocks, Where there was any. SIR BLENNERHASSET does away, With selvagees from maintop-stay; And though it makes his sailors stare, He rigs breast backstays everywhere— In fact, too many. One morning, when the saucy craft Lay calmed, old JASPER toddled aft. “My mind misgives me, sir, that we Were wrong about that selvagee— I should restore it.” “Good,” said the Captain, and that day Restored it to the maintop-stay. Well-practised sailors often make A much more serious mistake, And then ignore it. Next day old JASPER came once more: “I think, sir, I was right before.” Well, up the mast the sailors skipped, The selvagee was soon unshipped, And all were merry. Again a day, and JASPER came: “I p’r’aps deserve your honour’s blame, I can’t make up my mind,” said he, “About that cursed selvagee— It’s foolish—very. “On Monday night I could have sworn That maintop-stay it should adorn, On Tuesday morning I could swear That selvagee should not be there. The knot’s a rasper!” “Oh, you be hanged,” said CAPTAIN P., “Here, go ashore at Caribbee. Get out—good bye—shove off—all right!” Old JASPER soon was out of sight— Farewell, old JASPER! PHRENOLOGY. “COME, collar this bad man— Around the throat he knotted me Till I to choke began— In point of fact, garotted me!” So spake SIR HERBERT WHITE To JAMES, Policeman Thirty-two— All ruffled with his fight SIR HERBERT was, and dirty too. Policeman nothing said (Though he had much to say on it), But from the bad man’s head He took the cap that lay on it. “No, great SIR HERBERT WHITE— Impossible to take him up. This man is honest quite— Wherever did you rake him up? “For Burglars, Thieves, and Co., Indeed, I’m no apologist, But I, some years ago, Assisted a Phrenologist. “Observe his various bumps, His head as I uncover it: His morals lie in lumps All round about and over it.” “Now take him,” said SIR WHITE, “Or you will soon be rueing it; Bless me! I must be right,— I caught the fellow doing it!” Policeman calmly smiled, “Indeed you are mistaken, sir, You’re agitated—riled— And very badly shaken, sir.