Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-19
YARN OF THE NANCY BELL.

NJ W. :. hlLbthl-
(After Coleridge-Several lear-.l
Twas on the shores thai round our coast,
From Deal to Ramsgate span,
That found alone on piece ol -iohe'
an elderly naval man.
His hair was weeIy, his beard was long,
And weedy and long was he,
And heard this wight on the shore reclte
in singular minor KEY
%, I'm a cook and captain bold,
AND a mate OF the Nancy-brig,
And bosom tight and a midshipmite,
Andthe crew OF the captains gig"
Then he shook his fist and tore his hair,
Till really felt afraid,
For couldn't help thinking, The man had bee
drinking,
and so simply said:
elderly man, it's little know
CT the ways of the men OF the sea
And Ill eat my hand II UNDERSTAND
how you can possibly be
Al once cook and captain bold,
And mate OF the Nancy brig,
And bosom tight and midshipmite,
And the crew OF the captains gig"
Then he gave hitch 10 his trowsers, which
Is trick all seamen larn,
And having got rid OF humping quld,
He spun this painful yarn:
Twas in the good ship Nancy Bell
And there on a reef we came TO grief,
Which has often occurred TO me;
And well nigh all o. the crew was drowned;
There was seventy-seven o. souls,
And only ten of the Nancy's men.
Said here to the Muster roll.
There was me, the cook and the captain bold,
And the mate Of the Nancy brig,
And ihe bosom tight and a midshipmlfe.
And the crew OF the captains gig.
month We were without whites or drink.
TIL a-hungry We did feel,
So We drawed Il lot and accordln' shot
The captain for our meal.
The next LOT fell to the Nancy's mate,
And Il delicate dish he made,
Then our appetite, with the midshipmre,
We seven survivors stayed
And then We murdered the bosom tight,
And he much resembled pig,
Then we wiitled free, did the cook and me,
Oh the crew of the captains gig.
Then only the cook and me was left,
And the delicate question, which
OF Us two goes TO the Kettle arose
-zSsis We ssueil II Out as sich-
For Iloyed that cook as a brother, l iid,
And the cook he worshiped me,
And wed both be blowed, If wed either be slowed,
In the ether chaps hold, dyes
Pm eat if you dimes of me- says Tom;
Yes, that says /, you'll be :
Pm boiled If die, dear Tom,' quoth l.
Ami, exactly SO = quoth he.
SAYS he, dear Jim 10 murder me,
Would be foolish thing to do
For don't you see that you can't cook 4ile,
While can-and wil-cOok y0a:'
So he boiled the water, and took some salt
And pepper In portions true,
Which he never forgOD and some chopped shalOt
And sage and parsley, too.
Come here I, says he, with proper pride,
(Which his smiling features tell,
= Twill soothing be. II let, you see,
How extremely nice youll SMELL
And he stirred il round and round,
And shifted at the foaming froth,
Nnen ups with his heels and snothers hi squeas,
In the scum of the boiling broth.
And eat that cook in a week or less
And as | eating be
The last Of his chops, why almost drops,
For a vessel in sight see.
And never larfs. nor / never smiles,
Nor never larks nor play,
But / sit and croak, and n single Joke
/ have, which Is to say
Oh I'm a cook and captain bold,
And a mate of the Nancy brig,
And bosom tight and midshipmite,
And the crew Of the captains gig"