Page:Aurora Australis.djvu/111

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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.