Dogs -- Fiction; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Fiction; Historical fiction; Seafaring life -- Fiction
But we must return on board, where there was almost as much confusion as
there had been on shore. The reappearance of Snarleyyow was considered
supernatural, for Smallbones had distinctly told in what manner he had
tied him up in the bread-bags, and thrown him into the canal.
Whisperings and murmurings were heard all round the cutter's decks.
Obadiah Coble shrugged up his shoulders, as he took an extra quid.--Dick
Short walked about with lips compressed, more taciturn than ever--Jansen
shook his head, muttering, "Te tog is no tog."--Bill Spurey had to
repeat to the ship's company the legend of his coming on board over and
over again. The only persons who appeared not to have lost their
courage were Jemmy Ducks and poor Smallbones, who had been put in his
hammock to recover him from his refrigeration. The former said, "that
if they were to sail with the devil, it could not be helped, pay and
prize-money would still go on;" and the latter, who had quite recovered
his self-possession, "vowed that dog or devil, he would never cease his
attempts to destroy him--if he was the devil, or one of his imps, it was
his duty as a Christian to oppose him, and he had no chance of better
treatment if he were to remain quiet." The snow-storm continued, and
the men remained below, all but Jemmy Ducks, who leaned against the lee
side of the cutter's mast, and as the snow fell, sang, to a slow air,
the following ditty, it probably being called to his recollection by the
state of the weather.
'Twas at the landing-place that's just below Mount Wyse,
Poll lean'd against the sentry's box, a tear in both her eyes;
Her apron twisted round her arms, all for to keep them warm,
Being a windy Christmas-day, and also a snow-storm.
And Bet and Sue
Both stood there too,
A shivering by her side,
They both were dumb,
And both look'd glum,
As they watch'd the ebbing tide.
Poll put her arms a-kimbo,
At the admiral's house look'd she,
To thoughts before in limbo,
She now a vent gave free.
You have sent the ship in a gale to work,
On a lee shore to be jamm'd,
I'll give you a piece of my mind, old Turk,
Port Admiral, you be damned.
_Chorus_.--We'll give you a piece of our mind, old Turk,
Port Admiral, you be damned.
Who ever heard in the sarvice of a frigate made to sail
On Christmas-day, it blowing hard, with sleet, and snow, and hail?
I wish I had the fishing of your back that is so bent,
I'd use the galley poker hot unto your heart's content.
Here Bet and Sue
Are with me too,
A shivering by my side,
They both are dumb,
And both look glum,
And watch the ebbing tide.
Poll put her arms a-kimbo,
At the admiral's house look'd she,
To thoughts that were in limbo,
She now a vent gave free.
You've got a roaring fire I'll bet,
In it your toes are jamm'd:
Let's give him a piece of our mind, my Bet,
Port Admiral, you be damned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account