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Description
Date: 11 March 1915
Transcript:
CAPTAIN SAM OF THE SNOWDON PEAK.
At the harbour t'other evening,
I had gone down for a stroll;
All the quays were quite deserted,
Didn't meet a. single soul,
Till I'd nearly reached the pier-head
And just thinking I'd turn back,
When I hears somebody shouting,
"Blow me tight, if that ain't Jack!"
And it came to me so sudden
That it took me all aback.
When I turned I found before me
An old skipper, just come back
Home from China, where he'd traded
Years and years. "Well, Jack, I'm blest!
Thought that you were gone for ever
Down bellow, 'long with the rest"
[cartoon showing Jack going for a walk]
Not a soul in sight.
"Well, I'm blowed! It's Sam!" I stammered.
"Right ye are, it's Sam," he cried.
Only came ashore this minute
Just got in this evening's tide.
That's her with the yellow funnel.
See her?—next berth to the slip—
Isn't much to look at, is she?
But there ain't a better ship.
"Come and see her, Jack," he added,
And, before I'd time to speak,
Sailor Sam (he comes from Bristol)
Had me 'board the Snowdon Peak.
Down below we soon were seated
In the little cabin aft,
And I must admit I'd never
Been aboard a cleaner craft.
[cartoon showing meeting between Jack and Sam]
"Why, if it ain't Sam."
And, as nat'ral, we fell talking.
"Why," says I, "'tis years ago
Since I saw ye last"—he nodded—
"'Way down at Fernando Po,
When we ran between Loanda
And the Gold Coast." "Yes," says he,
"Years before we had the trouble
'Twixt ourselves and Germany.
"Germany "—he spat the word out!
"What d'ye think we did this week?"
And lie smote the little table,
"Did with this 'ere Snowdon Peak,
Did what every British sailor
Nowadays is trying to do;
Sank a German submarine, Jack,
And we didn't save the crew!
[cartoon showing Sam spotting a U-boat]
'Twas a German submarine.
Light yer pipe and I will tell ye
All about it, and it's true.
It was in the English Channel
(That is near enough for you),
When I sees upon the water
Right ahead a curious sheen;
Then it took a shape—lor' bless ye!
'Twas a German submarine!
"Then I sees a bubbling ripple
Leave her bows and make for us.
'Twas a 'Whitehead,' meant to sink us.
But we didn't make a fuss.
Simply put the helm hard over,
And it missed us. 'Now,' says I,
You low scum have tried to sink us,
Now we're going to have a try.
[cartoon showing a happy Jack]
A cheer and a smile for the mercantile
"Didn't take us very long, Jack,
For I drove our ship full steam,
Smashed right through her; yes, I fancy
I still hear that stifled scream!
Damage? Nothing much to speak of,
Only bent a plate or two;
We just did what any other
In the Mercantile would do.
"Did the Government reward me?
Yes, they did; but I must say,
Honest, 'twasn't for the money
That we sank that 'sub' that day.
We would sink 'em, aye, for nothing,
Reckon it an honour too.
And, believe me, that's what every
British skipper means to do."
Source:
McMann, W. 'Jack's Yarns: "Captain Sam of the Snowdon Peak".' The Brecon County Times. 11 Mar. 1915. 7.
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