Mr Punch Afloat Part 18

MAUNDERINGS AT MARLOW

(_By Our Own aesthetic Bard_)

The lilies are languid, the aspens quiver, The Sun-G.o.d shooteth his shafts of light, The ripples are wroth with the restless river; _And O for the wash of the weir at night_!

The soul of the poet within him blenches At thought of plunge in the water bright, To witness the loves of the tender tenches: _And O for the wash of the weir at night_!

The throstle is wooing within the thicket, The fair frog fainteth in love's affright; The maiden is waiting to ope the wicket; _And O for the wash of the weir at night_!

The bargeman he knoweth where Marlow Bridge is.

To pies of puppy he doth invite; The cow chews the cud on the pasture ridges; _And O for the wash of the weir at night_!

So far from the roar of the seething city, The poet reposes much too quite, He trills to the Thames in a dainty ditty; _And O for the wash of the weir at night_!

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Malicious Swell in the stern sheets_ (_to little party on the weather quarter_). "Splendid breeze, isn't it, Gus?"

_Gus_ (_who, you see, has let his cigar go out_). "Ye-es; but I say, what's o'clock? Isn't it time to turn back?--What d'ye think?"]

FLITTINGS

(_Per Ocean Bottle-post_)

_In the South Atlantic, Three miles off Land (perpendicularly).

Six Bells, Feb. 27, 1898._

DEAR MR. PUNCH,--Yeo-ho and ahoy! If this ever reaches you, it is to tell you that the very good ship _Triton_ (this is within a cable's length of her name) has been at sea for just a fortnight, bound for the Cape on her second trip. She bears on board about a thousand souls all told, five horses, a couple of cows, two or three parrots, of third-cla.s.s behaviour, and a few canaries, which have not as yet taken berths inside the ship's cat.

We left Southampton on an even keel, but there were plenty of French rolls for breakfast next morning in the Bay of Biscay, so we were aegrotat (_sic_) for the rest of the day in such seclusion as our cabin granted. The next event of importance was Madeira. Here we had about four hours in which to watch the natives (one of them a one-armed boy) diving for our spare coppers, to breakfast on sh.o.r.e, to do the sights of Funchal, to buy deck-chairs, if not whole drawing-room suites, of wickerwork, to visit Santa Clara and the other suburban resorts, and, most necessary of all, to ascend by the new mountain railway to the church of Nossa Senhora de Monte, and then to descend two thousand feet by _carro_, or toboggan over the cobble-stone pathway. It was a lot to do, but we did it on our heads--especially the last-named athletic performance. Our steersman, Manuel, certainly deserved his pint of Madeira at the "Half-way House" for his agility and dexterity in taking us down a decline of one in two, past corkscrew corners, and hordes of beggars.

English money seems to be quite the medium of currency at Funchal, and English is spoken by the enterprising islanders while you wait (or until your last shilling is spent). Even a tea-garden sort of place is dignified by the name of "Earl's Court," to attract and solace the homesick Londoner. Meanwhile, it was market-day on board the ship, and great was the company of merchants with all kinds of wares. These are bundled off neck and crop by 11 A.M., and we settled down to the serious business of the voyage--the election of a Sports and Entertainment Committee, the consumption of six meals a day, the daily sweepstakes and auction on the run, the dissection of everybody's character, and the other inevitable humours and incidents of an ocean trip.

We fetched a compa.s.s, or whatever the nautical phrase is, round the Canaries in a sea-fog, for fear of running up against Teneriffe, and since then we haven't sighted land, nor seen a ship, or even a whale or waterspout, nothing more exciting than a few coveys of flying-fish, and, I think, half-a-dozen porpoises. At the moment of writing, however, I see a solitary albatross, and lose no time in informing your readers of the fact. We crossed the line without feeling the slightest b.u.mp. We have pa.s.sed through the tropics with only one hot night, and our feet, like our thoughts, are now turning towards Fleet Street and home, as we near the Antipodes.

We have had the usual fancy-dress ball with some decidedly impromptu costumes. One of a large theatrical company was quite unrecognisable as Sheffield's Ape, taking the first prize, and has since been busy restoring himself to human form. The captain's clerk appeared in a series of quick-turn changes, such as a comic sailor or a deplorable old lady; while the ship's doctor contributed an awe-inspiring impersonation of Old Moore or somebody in the wizard profession.

The sports and other entertainments have pa.s.sed off without bloodshed.

Our captain, a breezy, jovial Irishman, received the ladies with open arms at the finish of their fifty yards race, and the comedians who performed in "Are you there?" and the other humorous items fully rose, or tumbled, to the occasion, as the case might be. Take it all round, we have had a particularly good time of it. Pleasant company and pleasant weather. Out of reach of letters and telegrams, and face to face with the ocean.

We are now in the teeth of a strong south-easter, and the writing-room is beginning to dance, I therefore hasten to catch the post.

Yours, very much at sea, X. Y. Z.

[Ill.u.s.tration: a.s.sURING!

_Pa.s.senger_ (_faintly_). "C'lect fares--'fore we get across! I thought we----"

_Mate._ "'Beg y'r pardon, sir, but our orders is, in bad weather, to be partic'lar careful to collect fares; 'cause in a gale like this 'ere, there's no knowing how soon we may all go to the bottom!"]

[Ill.u.s.tration: ILl.u.s.tRATED QUOTATIONS

(_One so seldom finds an artist who realises the poetic conception_)

"We have fed our sea for a thousand years."--_Kipling._]

[Ill.u.s.tration: A PRIMEVAL YACHT RACE

Somehow or other, in those days, a breeze was more often forthcoming when it was wanted, and the race did "occasionally" end in favour of the challenger.]

ON VIEW AT HENLEY

The most characteristic work of that important official, the clerk of the weather.

The young lady who has never been before, and wants to know the names of the eights who compete for the Diamond Sculls.

The enthusiastic boating man, who, however, prefers luncheon when the hour arrives, to watching the most exciting race imaginable.

The itinerant vendors of "coolers" and other delightful comestibles.

The troupes of n.i.g.g.e.rs selected and not quite select.

The houseboat with decorations in odious taste, and company to match.

The "perfect gentleman's rider" (from Paris) who remembers boating at Asnieres thirty years ago, when Jules wore when rowing lavender kid-gloves and high top-boots.

The calm mathematician (from Berlin), who would prefer to see the races represented by an equation.

The cute Yankee (from New York), who is quite sure that some of the losing crews have been "got at" while training.

The guaranteed enclosure, with band, lunch and company of the same quality.

The "very best view of the river" from a dozen points of the compa.s.s.

Neglected maidens, bored matrons, and odd men out.

Quite the prettiest toilettes in the world.