A certain Person of the Sort That has great influence at Court, Assured him it was so; And said, “It simply lies with you To get this little matter through. You pay a set of trifling fees To me--at any time you please----” Blood stopped him with a “No!” “This signal favour of the Queen’s Is very burdensome. It means A smart Review (for all I know), In which I am supposed to show Strategical ability: And after that tremendous fights And sleeping out on rainy nights, And much responsibility. Thank you: I have my own position, I need no parchment or commission, And everyone who knows my name Will call me ‘Captain’ just the same.” There was our leader in a phrase: A man of strong decisive ways, But reticent[3] and grim. Though not an Englishman, I own, Perhaps it never will be known What England lost in him! [3] This reticence, which some have called hypocrisy Was but the sign of nature’s aristocracy. IV. The ship was dropping down the stream, The Isle of Dogs was just abeam, And Sin and Blood and I Saw Greenwich Hospital go past, And gave a look--(for them the last)-- Towards the London sky! Ah! nowhere have I ever seen A sky so pure and so serene! Did we at length, perhaps, regret Our strange adventurous lot? And were our eyes a trifle wet With tears that we repressed, and yet Which started blinding hot? Perhaps--and yet, I do not know, For when we came to go below, We cheerfully admitted That though there was a smell of paint (And though a very just complaint Had to be lodged against the food), The cabin furniture was good And comfortably fitted. And even out beyond the Nore We did not ask to go ashore. [Illustration ** Stout man at dinner refusing asparagus.]