Content can be downloaded for non-commercial purposes, such as for personal use or in educational resources.
For commercial purposes please contact the copyright holder directly.
Read more about the The Creative Archive Licence.
Description
Date: 6 May 1915
Transcript:
ANOTHER DISCOVERY.
I think I never laughed so much
In all my life before;
In fact, to tell the truth I laughed
Until my sides were sore,
And, mind ye, both on land and sea,
I’ve seen a lot o’ fun,
But this one beat the band, and, lor’,
It was so simply done!
Ye should ha’ seen that old bloke’s face—
He looked, why, bless yer heart,
Aa if he’d seen a bloomin’ ghost.
But there, I’d better start
The yarn at the beginning, and
When finished, you will see
The laugh I had was clearly at
Th’ expense of Germany.
[cartoon showing Jack going for a walk]
Off to Deadman’s Creek.
It was a lovely afternoon
(The thing occurred this week),
I thought I’d take a little turn
As far as Deadman’s Creek.
Yet, if you asked, I couldn’t tell
Just why I went that way;
A Providence just shapes our ends,
Rough hew them as we may.
I strolled along, and as I neared
The creek I nearly fell
O’er what I thought a lump o’ rook.
And then a curious smell
Assailed my nose. I sniffed again,
“That ‘s petrol without doubt.
I ought to know, I use it on
My motor-boat the Scout.”
[cartoon showing Jack rubbing his foot]
I hurt my foot.
I looked: the thing I thought a rock
‘Peared to be coloured red,
While all the other rocks were black.
“That’s pretty odd,” I said.
And so I straightway sets to work,
And scraped away the sand;
A petrol can ‘twas, sure enough,
And of a well-known brand.
“Now, what’s the bloomin’ game? I says,
And sets to with my hands
To deeper go, and came across
About a, dozen cans
All full o’ petrol. “Well I’m blowed!
Of all I’ve heard, or seen
This beats the lot—’tis all meant for
Some German submarine.”
[cartoon showing Jack discovering canisters of petrol]
“Well I’m blowed!”
Well, looking first to see if there
Was anyone about,
I took each can up to the creek
And poured the petrol out,
And then with water filled each can;
Carefully placed them back.
“Someone’ll get a sell,” I says,
“As sure’s my name is Jack.”
I waited, hidden there, till dark,
Gazing away to sea,
Until at length I sees a boat
Approaching cautiously.
With that, a figure hurried down
The beach and met the crew.
“Aye, you’re the man I want, says I;
“I’ll keep my eye on you.”
[cartoon showing Jack capturing a German spy]
Vas it a Ghost?
They quickly got the cans on board,
And off they set once more.
The spy, unconscious I was near,
Hurried along the shore.
Just as he passed I grabbed him tight.
Laugh! why, I nearly died
To see his bloomin’ dial! “Mein Gott!
Vas it a ghost?” he cried.
That stormy petrel’s petrol days
Are over; and, what’s more,
That “watered” submarine will ne’er
Again see German shore.
We sent a fast destroyer out,
Which towed her in next day—
I wonder, when he hears of it,
What “Timid Turps” will say.
Source:
McMann, W. ‘Jack’s Yarns: “Another Discovery”.’ The Brecon County Times. 6 May 1915. 2.
Do you have information to add to this item? Please leave a comment
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to leave a comment