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POPULAR SONGS. 289
THE GREAT SEA SNAKE.
Sung by T. P. Cooke,
Mayhap you have all of you heard of the yarn
Of the wonderful Sea Snake !
That first appeared off the Isle of Pitcairn,
And was seen by Adriiiral Blake.
Now list not what land-lubbers tell,
But lend an ear to me ;
And I'll relate what to me befell,
For I'm just come from sea.
They say he measures miles twice two,
Bat there they surely lied :
For I was one of the very ship's crew
By whom his length was tried !
One morning from his head we bore
With every stitch of sail ;
And going full nine knots an hour,
We in three months came to his tail!
Right up on an end with all his strength,
To stand this snake did try ;
But before he had got up half his length,
His head did reach the sky,
A vessel then this snake did note,
Who thought it was famed Teneriffe,
Then straightway sent their jolly boat
For fresh water and beef.
When coiled pp quite this snake did lie
A thousand miles about ;
When some passengers upon their way
To a colony sent out,
This snake mistook for the promised land,
A grievous thing, good lack !
T