Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-09-03
W. dnesday, September 3, 1879.
THE YARN OF THE NANCY
BELL"

BY ". s. GILBERT, AUTHOR OF PINAFoRE.
Twas on the shores that round our coast
From Deal to Ramsgate span,
That found alone on piece OF stone
AN elderly naval man.
His hair was weedy, his beard was long,
And weedy and long was he,
And heard this Wi ht on the shore recite,
In singular minor key:
"Oh am cook and captain bold,
And the mate of the Nancy brig,
And a bo'sun tight, and a midshipnite,
And the crew of the captains gig"
And he shook his fists and he tore his hair,
Till really felt afraid.
For l couldn't help thinking the man had been
And so [ simply said:
"Oh elderly man, it's little I know
OF the duties of men of the sea-
And III eat my hand if understand
However you can be
sat once a cook. and captain bold
and the mate of the Nancy brig
And bo'sun tight, and midshipnlite,
And the crew OF the captains gig.''
Then he gave hitch to his trousers, which
Is a trick all seamen larn,
And having got rid of a humping quid,
He spun this painful yarn:
"'Twas in the good ship Nancy Bell
That we sailed to the lnoian sea,
And there on reel we came to grief
Which has often occurred TO me.
And pretty nigh all the crew was drowned
(Cnere was seyenty-seven o. souD,
And only ten of the 9 Nancy's' men
Said here!' to the muster-roil.
"There and the cook and the captain bold
And the mate of the Nancy brig,
Ana the bosun tight and midshipmite.
And the crew OF the captains gig.
"For month we'd neither whites nor drink,
Till a-hungry did feel,
80 We drawo lot, and, accordin' shot
The captain for cur meal.
sc The next lot fell to the Nancy's' mate
And.a delicate dish ne made;
Then our appetite with the midshipmite
We seven survivors stayed.
"And then we murdered the bosun tight
Aud he much resemhled pig;
Then we Wltted free, did the cook and me,
On the crew or the captains gig.
Then only the cook and me was left
ana the delicate question, Which
Ot Us two goes to the kettle?' arose
and We argued it out SIGH.
I" Fer 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.
"'Tu be eat If you dues off me- says Tom;
Yes, that says I. you'll be
Pm boiled if die, my friend auoth 7;
And Exactly So quoth he;
"Says he: Dear James TO murder me
We're foolish thing to do,
For don't you see that you can't cook me-
While | can-and wil!-cook uOu!
I" so he boils the water, and takes the salt
And the pepper in portions true
Which be never forgot), aHd some chopped shalot,
And some sage and parsley too.
"Cone here says he with proper pride
Which his smiling features tell,
Twill soothing be if let you see
How extremely nj you'll smell
Ani ne stirred it round aud round and round
AND ne shifted at the foaming troIh:
when L ups with his heels, and smothers his
In the scum of the boiling broth.
a. And eat that cook in a week or less
And-as [ eating be
The last OF his chops why, almost drops,
For vessel in sight see
=
" And never larf, aud never smile
And never lark nor play,
But sit and crOak, and a single Joke
Lave-which is to say:
"' On, am cook and captain bold,
And the mate of the Nancy brig,
And a DO sun tight, and midshipmits,
And the crew of the captains gigl'"
R1bu RoIlo6c