(* " Raggy " is " lower-deckese for " chum," the term being due to the habit of bluejacket-friends of sharing their cleaning-rags between them.) Ho ! very large an' fine. There wos the rest o' the Fleet to see, There wos the pendant a-blowin' free, There wos the skipper - but were was 'e, 'Im as wos raggy o' mine ? 'E wos a-tryin' to clear the nets, Layin' acrost the line. Tryin' to worry 'em clear o' the screw, Workin' with 'arf of 'is leg stuck through Lowered the nets an' lowered 'im, too, Raggy, ah, raggy o' mine. 'Ow cud 'e watch 'em down where 'e wos ? 'E never made no sign; 'E cudn't see 'em from under the strop. Ah ! but 'e seed w'en they started to drop. Gawd ! an' me watchin' 'im out o' the top, 'Im that wos raggy o' mine. They wasn't watchin' 'im - they didn't know, They on'y saved the time. " Nippiest ship o' the Fleet," they say. Ho! we wos nippiest ship that day, We wos a'ead - on the murderin' lay ! Raggy, ah, raggy o' mine. 'Im - as wos doin' the best 'e knew, 'Im - as wos young an' fine; Just w'en 'is learnin' wos over an' done, Just w'en 'is troubles 'ad 'ardly begun ; Ah! an' they drownded you, raggy, my son, Raggy, ole raggy o' mine. Cover 'im, cover 'im - face an' 'ands, 'E didn't stop to whine, Carry 'im, carry 'im - get 'im below, 'Andle 'im gentle an' walk 'im slow, Ho! you black beggars as let 'im go, 'E wos a raggy o' mine. Lower 'im, lower 'im - w'ich we done, Clear o' the three-mile line; Lift 'im, oh, lift 'im up - lyin' so dead, Lower 'im, lower 'im soft in 'is bed, An' snaffle a pillow an' lay at 'is 'ead, 'Cos 'e wos a raggy o' mine. Under the wash o' the Flagship's stern, Head o' the leadin' line, Clear o' the stinks an' the sounds o' land, We lowered 'im down with the guard an' band, An' I wos the last for to 'old 'is 'and, 'Cos 'e wos a raggy o' mine. An' they puts 'is name in the papers, too, An' they makes a 'ealthy shine, An' I does my bit, an' I goes ashore, But 'taint not 'arf wot it wos before, 'Cos 'e won't never come back no more, Not 'im that wos raggy, Ole raggy, fair raggy, An' chummy an' towney o' mine! So long! That's you. 'E's gone to toe the line, An' it's forty fathom deep W'ere we put 'im down to sleep So long ! Salue ! H.M.S. Resolution, November, 1896. ^ back to top ^ |
