Читать книгу The Works of Lord Byron, Vol. 7. Poetry - George Gordon Byron - Страница 5

Huzza! Hodgson3, we are going,

Our embargo's off at last;

Favourable breezes blowing

Bend the canvas o'er the mast.

From aloft the signal's streaming,

Hark! the farewell gun is fired;

Women screeching, tars blaspheming,

Tell us that our time's expired.

Here's a rascal

Come to task all,

Prying from the Custom-house;

Trunks unpacking

Cases cracking,

Not a corner for a mouse

Scapes unsearched amid the racket,

Ere we sail on board the Packet.

Now our boatmen quit their mooring,

And all hands must ply the oar;

Baggage from the quay is lowering,

We're impatient, push from shore.

"Have a care! that case holds liquor —

Stop the boat – I'm sick – oh Lord!"

"Sick, Ma'am, damme, you'll be sicker,

Ere you've been an hour on board."

Thus are screaming

Men and women,

Gemmen, ladies, servants, Jacks;

Here entangling,

All are wrangling,

Stuck together close as wax. —

Such the general noise and racket,

Ere we reach the Lisbon Packet.

Now we've reached her, lo! the Captain,

Gallant Kidd,4 commands the crew;

Passengers their berths are clapt in,

Some to grumble, some to spew.

"Hey day! call you that a cabin?

Why't is hardly three feet square!

Not enough to stow Queen Mab in —

Who the deuce can harbour there?"

"Who, sir? plenty —

Nobles twenty

Did at once my vessel fill." —

"Did they? Jesus,

How you squeeze us!

Would to God they did so still!

Then I'd 'scape the heat and racket

Of the good ship, Lisbon Packet."

Fletcher! Murray! Bob!5 where are you?

Stretched along the deck like logs —

Bear a hand, you jolly tar, you!

Here's a rope's end for the dogs.

Hobhouse muttering fearful curses,

As the hatchway down he rolls,

Now his breakfast, now his verses,

Vomits forth – and damns our souls.

"Here's a stanza6

On Braganza —

Help!" – "A couplet?" – "No, a cup

Of warm water – "

"What's the matter?"

"Zounds! my liver's coming up;

I shall not survive the racket

Of this brutal Lisbon Packet."

Now at length we're off for Turkey,

Lord knows when we shall come back!

Breezes foul and tempests murky

May unship us in a crack.

But, since Life at most a jest is,

As philosophers allow,

Still to laugh by far the best is,

Then laugh on – as I do now.

Laugh at all things,

Great and small things,

Sick or well, at sea or shore;

While we're quaffing,

Let's have laughing —

Who the devil cares for more? —

Some good wine! and who would lack it,

Ev'n on board the Lisbon Packet?