She roar’d and said, that leaving her was like a funeral knell.
So she did pump,
As I did jump
In the boat, and said, “Good bye;”
But as for me,
With the rate A B,
To cry was all my eye.
I soon went back, I shoved on shore, and Polly I did meet,
For she was watching on the shore, her sweetheart for to greet;
She threw her arms around me then, and much to my surprise,
She vow’d she was so happy that she pump’d with both her eyes.
So she did pump,
As I did jump
To kiss her lovingly;
But, I say again,
That as for men,
Crying is all my eye.
Then push the can around, my boys, and let us merry be;
We’ll rig the pumps if a leak we spring, and work most merrily;
Salt water we have sure enough, we’ll add not to its store,
But drink, and laugh, and sing, and chat, and call again for more.
The girls may pump,
As in we jump
To the boat, and say, “Good bye;”
But as for we,
Who sailors be,
Crying is all my eye.
“Bravo, Obadiah! now one more song, and then we’ll aboard. It won’t do to bowse your jib up too tight here,” said Jemmy; “for it’s rather dangerous navigation among all these canals—no room for yawing.”
“No,” replied Dick Short.
“Then,” said Jemmy, jumping off the table with his fiddle in his hand. “Let’s have the roarer by way of a finish—what d’ye say, my hearties?”
Up they all rose, and gathered together in the centre of the room, save Jemmy Ducks, who, flourishing with his fiddle, commenced—
Jack’s alive, and a merry dog,
When he gets on shore
He calls for his glass of grog,
He drinks, and he calls for more.
So drink, and call for what you please,
Until you’ve had your whack, boys;
We think no more of raging seas,
Now that we’ve come back, boys.
“Chorus, now—”
With a whip, snip, high cum diddledy, The cog-wheels of life have need of much oiling; Smack, crack—this is our jubilee: Huzza, my lads! we’ll keep the pot boiling.
All the seamen joined in the chorus, which they accompanied both with their hands and feet, snapping their fingers at whip and snip, and smacking their hands at smack and crack, while they danced round in the most grotesque manner, to Jemmy’s fiddle and voice; the chorus ended in loud laughter, for they had now proved the words of the song to be true, and were all alive and merry. According to the rules of the song, Jemmy now called out for the next singer, Coble.
Jack’s alive and merry, my boys,
When he’s on blue water,
In the battle’s rage and noise,
And the main-deck slaughter.
So drink and call for what you please,
Until you’ve had your whack, boys;
We’ll think no more of angry seas,
Until that we go back, boys.
Chorus—With a whip, snip, high cum diddledy, The cog-wheels of life have need of much oiling; Smack, crack—this is our jubilee: Huzza, my lads! we’ll keep the pot boiling.
Jansen and Jemmy Ducks, after the dancing chorus had finished—
Yack alive and merry my boys,
Ven he get him frau And he vid her ringlet toys, As he take her paw. So drink, and call for vat you please, Until you hab your vack, boys; Ve’ll think no more of angry seas, Till ve standen back, boys.
Chorus and laughter.
With a whip, snip, high cum diddledy, The cog-wheels of life have need of much oiling; Smack, crack—this is our jubilee Huzza, my lads, we’ll keep the pot boiling.
Bill Spurey—
Jack’s alive and merry, boys,
When he’s got the shiners;
Heh! for rattle, fun, and noise,
Hang all grumbling whiners.
Then drink, and call for what you please
Until you’ve had your whack, boys;
We think no more of raging seas,
Now that we’ve come back, boys.
Chorus.—With a whip, snip, high cum diddledy, The cog-wheels of life have need of much oiling; Smack, crack—this is our jubilee; Huzza, my lads we’ll keep the pot boiling.
“Dick Short must sing.”
“Yes,” replied Dick.
Jack’s alive and full of fun,
When his hulk is crazy,
As he basks in Greenwich sun
Jolly still, though lazy.
So drink, and call for what you please,
Until you’ve had your whack, boys;
We’ll think no more of raging seas,
Now that we’ve come back, boys.
Chorus—With a whip, snip, high cum diddledy. The cog-wheels of life have need of much oiling; Smack, crack—this is our jubilee; Huzza, my lads! we’ll keep the pot boiling.
As this was the last chorus, it was repeated three or four times, and with hallooing, screaming, and dancing in mad gesticulation.
“Hurrah, my lads,” cried Jemmy, “three cheers and a bravo.”
It was high time that they went on board; so thought Frau Vandersloosh, who trembled for her chandeliers; so thought Babette, who had begun to yawn before the last song, and who had tired herself more with laughing at it; so thought they all, and they sallied forth out of the Lust Haus, with Jemmy Ducks having the advance, and fiddling to them the whole way down to the boat. Fortunately, not one of them fell into the canal, and in ten minutes they were all on board; they were not, however, permitted to turn into their hammocks without the important information being imparted to them, that Snarleyyow had disappeared.
Chapter Ten.
In which is explained the Sublime Mystery of Keelhauling—Snarleyyow saves Smallbones from being drowned, although Smallbones would have drowned him.
It is a dark morning; the wind is fresh from the north-west; flakes of snow are seen wafting here and there by the wind, the avant-couriers of a heavy fall; the whole sky is of one murky grey, and the sun is hidden behind a dense bank. The deck of the cutter is wet and slippery, and Dick Short has