Part 31 (1/2)
For he ran me down with a three-reef mains'le.'
_(All round the Horn!)_
Atlantic answered:--'Not from me!
You'd better ask the cold North Sea, For he ran me down under all plain canvas.'
_(All round the Horn!)_
The North Sea answered:--'He's my man, For he came to me when he began-- Frankie Drake in an open coaster.
_(All round the Sands!)_
'I caught him young and I used him sore, So you never shall startle Frankie more, Without capsizing Earth and her waters.
_(All round the Sands!)_
'I did not favour him at all.
I made him pull and I made him haul-- And stand his trick with the common sailors.
_(All round the Sands!)_
'I froze him stiff and I fogged him blind.
And kicked him home with his road to find By what he could see in a three-day snow-storm _(All round the Sands!)_
'I learned him his trade o' winter nights, 'Twixt Mardyk Fort and Dunkirk lights On a five-knot tide with the forts a-firing.
_(All round the Sands!)_
'Before his beard began to shoot, I showed him the length of the Spaniard's foot-- And I reckon he clapped the boot on it later.
_(All round the Sands!)_
'If there's a risk which you can make.
That's worse than he was used to take Nigh every week in the way of his business; _(All round the Sands!)_
'If there's a trick that you can try, Which he hasn't met in time gone by, Not once or twice, but ten times over; _(All round the Sands!)_
'If you can teach him aught that's new, _(A-hay O! To me O!)_ I'll give you Bruges and Niewport too, And the ten tall churches that stand between 'em.'
_Storm along my gallant Captains!_ _(All round the Horn!)_
THE JUGGLER'S SONG
When the drums begin to beat Down the street, When the poles are fetched and guyed, When the tight-rope's stretched and tied, When the dance-girls make salaam, When the snake-bag wakes alarm, When the pipes set up their drone, When the sharp-edged knives are thrown, When the red-hot coals are shown, To be swallowed by and bye-- _Arre_ Brethren, here come I!
Stripped to loin-cloth in the sun, Search me well and watch me close!
Tell me how my tricks are done-- Tell me how the mango grows?
Give a man who is not made To his trade Swords to fling and catch again, Coins to ring and s.n.a.t.c.h again, Men to harm and cure again.