ORIGINAL POETRY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 205, 5 July 1878, Page 3

ORIGINAL POETRY.

THE RUSSIAN PRiyATEEB. (Air—The Groves of Blarney.)

'Tis the history true, sir s< How a Russian cruiser , . Appeared in view, sir, Off Akaroa ; And of what did happen When, her anchors dropping, She swung round, stopping Half-a-mile from shore.. Eer big guns she shows off, And some powder blows off, Count Cutmynosoff In chief command; . And his second slasher Was Pat McSwasher,' A Fenian "Thrasher" • ■ - From Yankee land. Then these rogues, red,-handed, Took boat and * And a sum demanded^ Whicn sliould be paid down By the second morning, Or, they did give warning, That pity scorning, They would shell the town. 'Twas a sum so vast that All stood aghast at The thought how beet that . It raised could be; . .■, For the city coffer Had none.to offer, And the Bank did suffer From poverty. •Meantime to amuse all 'Twas agreed, as usual, Wh en foreign crews «all, To give a ball; And'On this occasion, i . . .'I By the rank and fashion, , 'These valiant Russians • Were invited all. ' For their latest free-man, ; And the lowestseaman .'To the cookj Hans Schliemann,^ Were of gentle blood j .',... And each one loudly Did trace, avowedly, '■'"'■ His lineage, proudly, From before the flood. "ITwould -create dissension, Were I to mension What marked attention . • Was paid them there ; With what, smiles rewarded, « All fears discarded ; ■ "" " , But they left unguarded When the brave Leander, Or Alexander, ? . ■ That great commander, . Or Scipio. The combat wages, Then History's pages . Through after ages With praises glow. And as long as merit .Shall praise inherit, The name miiat alsa|e,4t, r ; Of GTtT-nB— —k,. , Whoi in their hour ; Of pride 1 and power,; : ■ The Russian Did countercheck. From the revel turning,",''.','.',' . With valor ■burning,' ' '■>[ '' And bent on earning* The victor's wreath, In the sea unsparing, He plugged with daring, A torpedo bearing Between his teeth. And the waves defying, His course Kept plying, where,the ship was lying Hiei'didNflraw near, And the" tensile swinging, And with'full force flinging, He sent it ringing Against the privateer. The shock was given, That ship was riven r . A'nfr skyward driven ■'■'• ' v , .Went spar and gun; : The five hundred' plunder, j i ,' They longiafierfound-her,- • , With others'Jtfurid'her.. . On Hayloc'k's'^un,'. ■:', But.where; was Ox-—-n, ', That bold tactician, Upon the completion Of his deed of fame ? ' ©id the fishibs fiiid him— ' Waa deatfct assigned him— Ireavingf behind iiim ■ - ; , gutia/de^tklessijarae;?. No, ! .wi ) lhq'nick'd i ecisioh;' ; The noble β-r—n Saw with anxious vision ' The torpedo strike, , _ And on the, instant diving, And ;, • ■ ' He cam'e v v • At the Maori Keifc. -■ •Then these Ru'ssiaae fnmm , ,,-. Did swear, inhuman, , Thaffonman and-woman . . Tbey would be revenged; But their courage sinking, And from dagger shrinking, Uponi better thinking V ' > Their tome they, changed. And the climate .spiting For health recruiting, ,', They left Off shooting, - - And settled down To peaceftfl Jahor, And by every neighbor Were held in favor Within the town. When barber Joseph Trade did dispose of,, . ~ ■ It was Cutmynosoff Who bought him out yAnd< the bold McSwasher. As bottle*washer,; Did earn his ca§h,'sir, With Beecher's stout. .J. Johnson.