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Poems

By Edward Quillinan. With a Memoir by William Johnston

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A PARTING BENISON TO THE MEDEA STEAMSHIP.
  
  
  
  
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A PARTING BENISON TO THE MEDEA STEAMSHIP.

Go, sink or swim, thou punt of evil name,
And rightly call'd, from Jason's barbarous dame!
Lured by thy signal-flag, descried afar,
Five home-bound English cross'd Oporto's Bar;
Rude winds they heard, and rampant waves they met,
But found thy bluff Commander rougher yet.

43

They ask'd admission at that vessel's side:
“The mail! the mail!” the imperious Triton cried.
“We seek a passage to our native shore!”
“Hand up the mail!” he answer'd with a roar.
“But here are passengers—a female one—”
“The mail I want,” responded Neptune's son.
“There take the mail!” (the devil take your manners,
And Fate embark us under gentler banners!)
“Thanks, very sorry! now shove off!” he cried!
“Shove off!” and left us on the weltering tide!
For this, thou vapouring punt of evil name,
We wish thee—a good voyage all the same!
San João da Foz, Oporto, September, 1837.