University of Virginia Library

So I says to the chaps—“Is any one wantin'
This job?” I says, “for it's time to be slantin'.”
Not a word—“Are ye sure now?—Right as a riddle!”
And I ties the rope around my middle,
And ready coiled, and how—God knows!
But I shut my eyes, and in I goes!
And wasn' I divin' under the says?
Divin'! divin', if ye plase?
Teach your granny to suck eggs!
But it's terrible nasty about your legs
A rope like that—and payin' it out
Far too free—bein' willin', no doubt,
But no 'sperience, you know—hard work!
And no mistake! There was a regular turk
Caught me half-way—my eye! what a brute!
I raelly thought I'd never get through't.
And these chaps ashore—it's worse they got—
I'd a mind to go back, and kick the lot—
But—however—what with tuggin' and luggin',
And givin' and takin', for all their humbuggin',
Just when I thought I had enough,
Somebody gript me by the scruff,
And afore a man could turn on his heel
I had my arms round Nicky Freel.
No time for talk!—“The stump o' the mast!
Bear a hand, Nick! make fast! make fast!”
And gives him the rope—when there come a rowl,
And a bump! and I don't know in my sowl—
But he dropt it—Nicky? Out of his hand!
Dropt it! and these chaps on the land
Haulin', for all they felt the loose —
Haulin' away like the very deuce—
Like they'd got a whale—he dropt the rope—
Nicky Freel! like soap! like soap!
And him a sailor!—all very fine!
“Nicky!” I says, “Where's Nelly Quine?”
And I looked, and there they had her lashed
To the cabin companion—aw dear! the washed
The craythur looked, the washed and the wore—
Half drowned, you know—“I'll take ye ashore,”
I says, and the Captain standin' by—
“I'll take the young woman ashore,” says I.
He looked at me very hard, and then
He loosed the lanyarn, and—“Listen, friend!”
Says the Captain, “Suppose I don't live,” he says,
“To reach that shore, remember this!
Whatever happens, dyin' or livin',
Nelly's as pure as an angel in Heaven.”