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SOUTHWARD BOUND.
The Nimrod sailed for the Southern Seas,
- On her voyage of venture bent;
She left the Heads with a westerly breeze
- As the Flagship’s cheers grew faint.
She was taken in tow by the “Koonya”,
- With seven score fathoms of wire,
And for twelve long days and nights she strove
- With a southerly buster’s ire.
Watch by watch for two hours at a stretch
- To the pony stalls we clung,
With the water knee-deep on the for’ard hatch,
- And the decks a’swimming with dung.
“Doctor” was down on the third night out,
- And eight hours later was dead;
For the efforts of man in a gale were ‘nowt,’
- So his end was an ounce of lead.
We slept in our sodden bunks by night,
- Abaft the after hold;
And wished for the day to bring in the light
- And the tale that was yet to be told.
