The Bellman himself they all praised to the skies-- He had bought a large map representing the sea, "What's the good of Mercator's North Poles and Equators, "Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes! |
This was charming, no doubt: but they shortly found out He was thoughtful and grave--but the orders he gave Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes: But the principal failing occurred in the sailing, |
But the danger was past--they had landed at last, The Bellman perceived that their spirits were low, He served out some grog with a liberal hand, "Friends, Romans, and countrymen, lend me your ears!" "We have sailed many months, we have sailed many weeks, |
"We have sailed many weeks, we have sailed many days, "Come, listen, my men, while I tell you again "Let us take them in order. The first is the taste, "Its habit of getting up late you'll agree "The third is its slowness in taking a jest. |
"The fourth is its fondness for bathing-machines, "The fifth is ambition. It next will be right "For, although common Snarks do no manner of harm, |