 | The Writings of Bret Harte |  |
SEMMES!
[_]
[Captain Raphael Semmes, the noted commander of the Confederate privateer Alabama, on the 7th of December, 1862, captured the steamer Ariel carrying passengers for San Francisco. He allowed the vessel and passengers to proceed unharmed, but compelled the captain to sign a bond to pay two hundred and sixty thousand dollars thirty days after the independence of the Confederate Government. On December 27, the passengers of the Ariel held a meeting in San Francisco and passed a vote of thanks for Semme's gentlemanly conduct while in possession of the vessel.]
Confederation
Of Free spoliation
With Exaltation,
I sing of thee!
And of thy later,
Sweet Peculator,
And Depredator
Of every sea.
Of Free spoliation
With Exaltation,
I sing of thee!
And of thy later,
Sweet Peculator,
And Depredator
Of every sea.
351
When all abuse thee
And dare confuse thee,
I'll still excuse thee,
Though law condemns
Thy occupation,
This plain narration
Bears attestation
Of thee, O Semmes!
And dare confuse thee,
I'll still excuse thee,
Though law condemns
Thy occupation,
This plain narration
Bears attestation
Of thee, O Semmes!
What legendary,
Incendiary
Accounts that vary
Of thee were told;
What strange tradition
Of man's condition,
Through inanition
Shut in thy hold.
Incendiary
Accounts that vary
Of thee were told;
What strange tradition
Of man's condition,
Through inanition
Shut in thy hold.
Thy motions elfish,
Thy conduct selfish,
Like that strange shell-fish
who clouds with ink;
Yes, like the Cuttle,
I hide thy subtle
Attempts to scuttle
Our ships and sink.
Thy conduct selfish,
Like that strange shell-fish
who clouds with ink;
Yes, like the Cuttle,
I hide thy subtle
Attempts to scuttle
Our ships and sink.
Thy frequent dashes,
Thy waxed mustaches,
Their glory flashes
From pole to pole!
The British Nation,
At every station,
Sends invitation
For thee to coal.
Thy waxed mustaches,
Their glory flashes
From pole to pole!
The British Nation,
At every station,
Sends invitation
For thee to coal.
352
With deprecation
And agitation,
And consternation,
Lest blood be spilt,
I view thy meeting,
—No courteous greeting—
Perchance a beating
From Vanderbilt!
And agitation,
And consternation,
Lest blood be spilt,
I view thy meeting,
—No courteous greeting—
Perchance a beating
From Vanderbilt!
Thy kind attention
I duly mention,
Though comprehension
Doth strangely show
That high-toned breeding
Tho' strange exceeding,
We find proceeding
From men termed “Low.
I duly mention,
Though comprehension
Doth strangely show
That high-toned breeding
Tho' strange exceeding,
We find proceeding
From men termed “Low.
Then let us praise thee,
And still upraise thee,
Until we place thee
Beyond all harm,
In exaltation—
A-e-rostation
And high saltation,
From some yardarm.
And still upraise thee,
Until we place thee
Beyond all harm,
In exaltation—
A-e-rostation
And high saltation,
From some yardarm.
| The Writings of Bret Harte | |