A greater degree of liveliness prevailed here at the celebration of the
only eatable thing among the stores. There was an intention to do honor
to the molasses, and honor was accordingly done.
The next verse:
“Three cheers for Bogud, Billymack,
Three cheers for all the crew,--
For Jiggins, Sammy, Muclcle, Pat, .
And three for Johnny Blue!
Chorus.
Three cheers for Johnny Blue, my friends,
Three cheers for Johnny Blue,--
For Jiggins, Sammy, Muckle, Pat,
And three for Johnny Blue!”
Immense enthusiasm. Surprise on the part of all the boys whose names
were thus so unexpectedly “wedded to song.” Recovering from their
surprise, each one jumped up, placed his hand on his heart, and
acknowledged the compliment by a low bow; after which the song was sung
again; after which there came more bows; and it would have gone on thus,
with alternate bowing and singing, till the present time, had not the
boys themselves felt overpowered, and demanded another verse.
The next verse:
“Three cheers for all the boys on board;
For Corbet three times three;
And thirty more for the jolly black flag
Of the ‘B. O. W. C.’!
Chorus.
“The ‘B. O. W. C.’ my friends,
The ‘B. O. W. C.’
Ever so many more for the jolly black flag
Of the ‘ B. O. W. C.’!”
This last chorus was sung with a vehemence, an ardor, and an enthusiasm
that are absolutely indescribable. It included all, and identified all,
in the most delicate manner, with the “B. O. W. C.” It was sung over and
over, and over yet again, accompanied with any quantity of cheers for
everything under the sun. The special allusion to Corbet, in the last
verse, elicited a fresh display of emotion from that venerable and
highly-impressible party. He did not say much, however. He merely went
round among the boys, and shook hands most warmly with all of them, one
by one. He asked each one about his father, his mother, his brothers
and sisters, and his uncles and aunts. He asked their full names, their
ages, and the number of their blood relations. He then made a public
address to them, in which he freely offered, at any time, to take any
of them, or all of them, on a cruise anywhere, at a moment’s warning.
Finally, he reiterated his offer to introduce his babby to them all.
This formed a climax. Beyond this he could not go. And there, naturally
and inevitably, his eloquent oration ended.