Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1879-09-04
THE YARN OF THE NANCY
RELLO

BELL"
gY w. s. GILBERT, AUTHOR OF PISAPoRE.
Twas on the shores that round our coast
From Deal TO RaInsgate spani
That found alone on piece OF st7ns
An elderly naval man.
His hair was weedy, his beard was long,
And weedy and long was he,
And heard this wight on the shore recite,
In singular minor key:
"Oh, I am cook and captain bold,
And the mate Of the Nancy brig,
And a bo'sun tight, and a mdshipmite,
And the crew Of the captains gig.'
And he shook his fists and he tore his hair,
Till really felt afraid,
For / couldn't help thinking the man had been
drinking
And so I simply said:
"Oh elderly man, it's little know
OF the duties OF men OF the sea.
And I'll eat my hand if | understand
However you can be
"At once a cook. and captain bold,
And the mate OF the Nancy brig
Anda bo'sun tight, and midshipmte,
And the OF the captains gig"
Then ne gave hitch TO his trousers which
Is trick all seamen larn,
And having got rid OF humping quid,
He spun this painful yarn:
"'Twas in the good snip Nancy Bel
That we sailed to the Indian sea,
And there on a reef we came TO sr.ei,
Which has often occurred to me.
And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned
There was seventy seven o. SOUL,
And only ten Of the Nancys men
said Herel' 10 the muster-roll
"There was me and the cook aud the captain bold,
And the mate % the Nancy brig,
And the bo'sun tight, and mid pmite,
And the crow OF the captains gig.
"For month we'd neither whites nor drink,
TIL a-hungy we did feel,
30 &c drawd lot, and accordin' shot
The captain for our meal.
THE next lot fell TO the Nancy'a mate,
And a delicate dish he made;
Then our appetite with the midshipmite
We seven survivors stayed.
"And then we murdered the bo'sun tight,
And he much resenbled pig;
Then wittled free, did the cook and me,
On the crew OF the captains gig.
Then only the cook and me was left
And the delicate question, Which
or us two goes to the kettle2 arose
And we argued 1t out as s.ch.
For loved that cook as brother, did
And the cook he worshiped me;
But we'd both be blowed If we'd either be slowed
In the other CHAPS hold you see
"rll be eat II you dimes off me-, says Tom;
Yes, that says l, you'll be-
I'm boiled II die, my friend quoth l;
And Exactly so quoth he;
Essays he: Dear James TO murder me
Were foolish thing to do
FOR don't you see that you can't cook nae,
While can--and will-cook you!'
80 he bols the water, and takes the salt
IND the pepper in portions true
(Which he never forgot, and some chopped shalot,
And some sage and parsley too.
Come here, says he with proper pride
Which his smiling features tell,
Twill soothing be If let you see
How extremely nj you'll SMELL
" And he stirred ii round and round and round,
Aud he shifted at the foaming froth;
When l ups with his heels, and smothers his
squeals
In the scum OF the boiling brot tn.
" And eat that cook in week or less,
And--as | eating be
The last OF his chops, why, almost drops
For a vessel in sight see!
81
4" And never larf, aGd never smile
And never lark play,
But ait and croak, and a single Joke
l have-which is to say:
"' On, am q COOK and captain bold,
And the mate OF the Nancy brig,
And a bosur tight, ana miushipmite,
And the crow vi the captains ggl'"
e Bah" Ballads.