The Story Of A Round-House And Other Poems Part 10

For other things to come. He saw them there.

"It will go on," he murmured, watching Si.

Colours and sounds seemed mixing in the air, The pain was stunning him, and the wind went by.

"More water," said the Mate. "Here, Bosun, try.

Ask if he's got a message. h.e.l.l, he's gone!

Here, Dauber, paints." He said, "It will go on."

Not knowing his meaning rightly, but he spoke With the intenseness of a fading soul Whose share of Nature's fire turns to smoke, Whose hand on Nature's wheel loses control.

The eager faces glowered red like coal.

They glowed, the great storm glowed, the sails, the mast.

"It will go on," he cried aloud, and pa.s.sed.

Those from the yard came down to tell the tale.

"He almost had me off," said Tom. "He slipped.

There come one h.e.l.l of a jump-like from the sail....

He clutched at me and almost had me pipped.

He caught my 'ris'band, but the oilskin ripped....

It tore clean off. Look here. I was near gone.

I made a grab to catch him; so did John.

"I caught his arm. My G.o.d! I was near done.

He almost had me over; it was near.

He hit the ropes and grabbed at every one."

"Well," said the Mate, "we cannot leave him here.

Run, Si, and get the half-deck table clear.

We'll lay him there. Catch hold there, you, and you, He's dead, poor son; there's nothing more to do."

Night fell, and all night long the Dauber lay Covered upon the table; all night long The pitiless storm exulted at her prey, Huddling the waters with her icy thong.

But to the covered shape she did no wrong.

He lay beneath the sailcloth. Bell by bell The night wore through; the stars rose, the stars fell.

Blowing most pitiless cold out of clear sky The wind roared all night long; and all night through The green seas on the deck went washing by, Flooding the half-deck; bitter hard it blew.

But little of it all the Dauber knew-- The sopping bunks, the floating chests, the wet, The darkness, and the misery, and the sweat.

He was off duty. So it blew all night, And when the watches changed the men would come Dripping within the door to strike a light And stare upon the Dauber lying dumb, And say, "He come a cruel thump, poor chum."

Or, "He'd a-been a fine big man;" or, "He ...

A smart young seaman he was getting to be."

Or, "d.a.m.n it all, it's what we've all to face! ...

I knew another fellow one time ..." then Came a strange tale of death in a strange place Out on the sea, in ships, with wandering men.

In many ways Death puts us into pen.

The reefers came down tired and looked and slept.

Below the skylight little dribbles crept

Along the painted woodwork, glistening, slow, Following the roll and dripping, never fast, But dripping on the quiet form below, Like pa.s.sing time talking to time long past.

And all night long "Ai, ai!" went the wind's blast, And creaming water swished below the pale, Unheeding body stretched beneath the sail.

At dawn they sewed him up, and at eight bells They bore him to the gangway, wading deep, Through the green-clutching, white-toothed water-h.e.l.ls That flung his carriers over in their sweep.

They laid an old red ensign on the heap, And all hands stood bare-headed, stooping, swaying, Washed by the sea while the old man was praying

Out of a borrowed prayer-book. At a sign They twitched the ensign back and tipped the grating A creamier bubbling broke the bubbling brine.

The m.u.f.fled figure tilted to the weighting; It dwindled slowly down, slowly gyrating.

Some craned to see; it dimmed, it disappeared; The last green milky bubble blinked and cleared.

"Mister, shake out your reefs," the Captain called.

"Out topsail reefs!" the Mate cried; then all hands Hurried, the great sails shook, and all hands hauled, Singing that desolate song of lonely lands, Of how a lover came in dripping bands, Green with the wet and cold, to tell his lover That Death was in the sea, and all was over.

Fair came the falling wind; a seaman said The Dauber was a Jonah; once again The clipper held her course, showing red lead, Shattering the sea-tops into golden rain.

The waves bowed down before her like blown grain; Onwards she thundered, on; her voyage was short, Before the tier's bells rang her into port.

Cheerly they rang her in, those beating bells, The new-come beauty stately from the sea, Whitening the blue heave of the drowsy swells, Treading the bubbles down. With three times three They cheered her moving beauty in, and she Came to her berth so n.o.ble, so superb; Swayed like a queen, and answered to the curb.

Then in the sunset's flush they went aloft, And unbent sails in that most lovely hour, When the light gentles and the wind is soft, And beauty in the heart breaks like a flower.

Working aloft they saw the mountain tower, Snow to the peak; they heard the launch-men shout; And bright along the bay the lights came out.

And then the night fell dark, and all night long The pointed mountain pointed at the stars, Frozen, alert, austere; the eagle's song Screamed from her desolate screes and splintered scars.

On her intense crags where the air is spa.r.s.e The stars looked down; their many golden eyes Watched her and burned, burned out, and came to rise.

Silent the finger of the summit stood, Icy in pure, thin air, glittering with snows.

Then the sun's coming turned the peak to blood, And in the rest-house the muleteers arose.

And all day long, where only the eagle goes, Stones, loosened by the sun, fall; the stones falling Fill empty gorge on gorge with echoes calling.

EXPLANATIONS OF SOME OF THE SEA TERMS USED IN THE POEM

Backstays. Wire ropes which support the masts against lateral and after strains.

Barney's bull. A figure in marine proverb. A jewel in marine repartee.

Bells. Two bells (one forward, one aft) which are struck every half-hour in a certain manner to mark the pa.s.sage of the watches.

Bitts. Strong wooden structures (built round each mast) upon which running rigging is secured.

Block. A sheaved pulley.

Boatswain. A supernumerary or idler, generally attached to the mate's watch, and holding considerable authority over the crew.

Bouilli tin. Any tin that contains, or has contained, preserved meat.

Bows. The forward extremity of a ship.

Brace-blocks. Pulleys through which the braces travel.

Braces. Ropes by which the yards are inclined forward or aft.

b.u.mboat pan. Soft bread sold by the b.u.mboat man, a kind of sea costermonger who trades with ships in port.