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(Mobile Columns of the Boer War)
OUT o’ the wilderness, dusty an’ dry | |
| (Time, an ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!) | |
| ’Oo is it ’eads to the Detail Supply? | |
| A section, a pompom, an’ six ’undred men. | |
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| ’Ere comes the clerk with ’is lantern an’ keys | 5 |
| (Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!) | |
| “Surplus of everything—draw what you please | |
| “For the section, the pompom, an’ six ’undred men.” | |
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| “What are our orders an’ where do we lay?” | |
| (Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!) | 10 |
| “You came after dark—you will leave before day, | |
| “You section, you pompom, you six ’undred men!” | |
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| Down the tin street, ’alf awake an’ unfed, | |
| ’Ark to ’em blessin’ the Gen’ral in bed! | |
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| Now by the church an’ the outspan they wind— | 15 |
| Over the ridge an’ it’s all lef be’ind | |
| For the section, etc. | |
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| Soon they will camp as the dawn’s growin’ grey, | |
| Roll up for coffee an’ sleep while they may— | |
| The section, etc. | 20 |
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| Read their ’ome letters, their papers an’ such, | |
| For they’ll move after dark to astonish the Dutch | |
| With a section, etc. | |
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| ’Untin’ for shade as the long hours pass— | |
| Blankets on rifles or burrows in grass, | 25 |
| Lies the section, etc. | |
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| Dossin’ or beatin’ a shirt in the sun, | |
| Watching chameleons or cleanin’ a gun, | |
| Waits the section, etc. | |
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| With nothin’ but stillness as far as you please, | 30 |
| An’ the silly mirage stringin’ islands an’ seas | |
| Round the section, etc. | |
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| So they strips off their hide an’ they grills in their bones, | |
| Till the shadows crawl out from beneath the pore stones | |
| Towards the section, etc. | 35 |
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| An’ the Mauser-bird stops an’ the jackals begin, | |
| An’ the ’orse-guard comes up and the Gunners ’ook in | |
| As a ’int to the pompom an’ six ’undred men…. | |
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| Off through the dark with the stars to rely on— | |
| (Alpha Centauri an’ somethin’ Orion) | 40 |
| Moves the section, etc. | |
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| Same bloomin’ ’ole which the ant-bear ’as broke, | |
| Same bloomin’ stumble an’ same bloomin’ joke | |
| Down the section, etc. | |
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| Same “which is right?” where the cart-tracks divide, | 45 |
| Same “give it up” from the same clever guide | |
| To the section, etc. | |
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| Same tumble-down on the same ’idden farm, | |
| Same white-eyed Kaffir ’oo gives the alarm | |
| Of the section, etc. | 50 |
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| Same shootin’ wild at the end o’ the night, | |
| Same flyin’-tackle an’ same messy fight, | |
| By the section, etc. | |
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| Same ugly ’iccup an’ same ’orrid squeal, | |
| When it’s too dark to see an’ it’s too late to feel | 55 |
| In the section, etc. | |
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| (Same batch of prisoners, ’airy an’ still, | |
| Watchin’ their comrades bolt over the ’ill | |
| From the section, etc.) | |
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| Same chilly glare in the eye of the sun | 60 |
| As ’e gets up displeasured to see what was done | |
| By the section, etc. | |
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| Same splash o’ pink on the stoep or the kraal, | |
| An’ the same quiet face which ’as finished with all | |
| In the section, the pompom, an’ six ’undred men. | 65 |
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| Out o’ the wilderness, dusty an’ dry | |
| (Time, an’ ’igh time to be trekkin’ again!) | |
| ’Oo is it ’eads to the Detail Supply? | |
| A section, a pompom, an’ six ’undred men. | |
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