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THE GHOST PIRATES
_"Strange as the glimmer of the ghastly light That shines from some vast crest of wave at night."_
THE GHOST PIRATES
William Hope Hodgson
1909
_To Mary Whalley_
"Olden memories that shine against death's night-- Quiet stars of sweet enchantments, That are seen In Life's lost distances..."
_The World of Dreams_
Author's Preface
This book forms the last of three. The first published was "_The Boatsof the 'Glen Carrig'_"; the second, "_The House on the Borderland_";this, the third, completes what, perhaps, may be termed a trilogy; for,though very different in scope, each of the three books deals withcertain conceptions that have an elemental kinship. With this book, theauthor believes that he closes the door, so far as he is concerned, on aparticular phase of constructive thought.
The Hell O! O! Chaunty
Chaunty Man . . Man the capstan, bullies!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o! Ha!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Capstan-bars, you tarry souls!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o! Ha!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Take a turn!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Stand by to fleet!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Stand by to surge!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Ha!--o-o-o-o!Men . . . . . . TRAMP! And away we go!Chaunty Man . . Hark to the tramp of the bearded shellbacks!Men . . . . . . Hush! O hear 'em tramp!Chaunty Man . . Tramping, stamping-- treading, vamping, While the cable comes in ramping.Men . . . . . . Hark! O hear 'em stamp!Chaunty Man . . Surge when it rides! Surge when it rides! Round-o-o-o handsome as it slacks!Men . . . . . . Ha!-o-o-o-o! hear 'em ramp! Ha!-oo-o-o! hear 'em stamp! Ha!-o-o-o-o-oo! Ha!-o-o-o-o-o-o!Chorus . . . . They're shouting now; oh! hear 'em A-bellow as they stamp:-- Ha!-o-o-o! Ha!-o-o-o! Ha!-o-o-o! A-shouting as they tramp!Chaunty Man . . O hark to the haunting chorus of the capstan and the bars! Chaunty-o-o-o and rattle crash-- Bash against the stars!Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o-o! Tramp and go! Ha-a!-o-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Hear the pawls a-ranting: with the bearded men a-chaunting; While the brazen dome above 'em Bellows back the 'bars.'Men . . . . . . Hear and hark! O hear 'em! Ha-a!-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Hurling songs towards the heavens--!Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Hush! O hear 'em! Hark! O hear 'em! Hurling oaths among their spars!Men . . . . . . Hark! O hear 'em! Hush! O hear 'em!Chaunty Man . . Tramping round between the bars!Chorus . . . . They're shouting now; oh! hear A-bellow as they stamp:-- Ha-a!-o-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o-o! A-shouting as they tramp!Chaunty Man . . O do you hear the capstan-chaunty! Thunder round the pawls!Men . . . . . . Click a-clack, a-clatter Surge! And scatter bawls!Chaunty Man . . Click-a-clack, my bonny boys, while it comes in handsome!Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Hear 'em clack!Chaunty Man . . Ha-a!-o-o! Click-a-clack!Men . . . . . . Hush! O hear 'em pant! Hark! O hear 'em rant!Chaunty Man . . Click, a-clitter, clicker-clack.Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Tramp and go!Chaunty Man . . Surge! And keep away the slack!Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Away the slack: Ha-a!-o-o! Click-a-clackChaunty Man . . Bustle now each jolly Jack. Surging easy! Surging e-a-s-y!!Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Surging easyChaunty Man . . Click-a-clatter-- Surge; and steady! Man the stopper there! All ready?Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Click-a-clack, my bouncing boys:Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Tramp and go!Chaunty Man . . Lift the pawls, and come back easy.Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Steady-o-o-o-o!Chaunty Man . . Vast the chaunty! Vast the capstan! Drop the pawls! Be-l-a-y!Chorus . . . . Ha-a!-o-o! Unship the bars! Ha-a!-o-o! Tramp and go! Ha-a!-o-o! Shoulder bars! Ha-a!-o-o! And away we blow! Ha-a!-o-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o-o-o! Ha-a!-o-o-o-o-o!