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ELEPHANTS OF THE GUN-TEAMS
WE lent to Alexander the strength of Hercules, | |
| The wisdom of our foreheads, the cunning of our knees. | |
| We bowed our necks to service—they ne’er were loosed again,— | |
| Make way there, way for the ten-foot teams | |
| Of the Forty-Pounder train! | 5 |
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GUN-BULLOCKS
Those heroes in their harnesses avoid a cannon-ball, | |
| And what they know of powder upsets them one and all; | |
| Then we come into action and tug the guns again,— | |
| Make way there, way for the twenty yoke | |
| Of the Forty-Pounder train! | 10 |
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CAVALRY HORSES
By the brand on my withers, the finest of tunes | |
| Is played by the Lancers, Hussars, and Dragoons, | |
| And it’s sweeter than “Stables” or “Water” to me, | |
| The Cavalry Canter of “Bonnie Dundee!” | |
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| Then feed us and break us and handle and groom, | 15 |
| And give us good riders and plenty of room, | |
| And launch us in column of squadron and see | |
| The Way of the War-horse to “Bonnie Dundee!” | |
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SCREW-GUN MULES
As me and my companions were scrambling up a hill, | |
| The path was lost in rolling stones, but we went forward still; | 20 |
| For we can wriggle and climb, my lads, and turn up everywhere, | |
| And it’s our delight on a mountain height, with a leg or two to spare! | |
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| Good luck to every sergeant, then, that lets us pick our road! | |
| Bad luck to all the driver-men that cannot pack a load! | |
| For we can wriggle and climb, my lads, and turn up everywhere, | 25 |
| And it’s our delight on a mountain height, with a leg or two to spare! | |
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COMMISSARIAT CAMELS
We haven’t a camelty tune of our own | |
| To help us trollop along, | |
| But every neck is a hair-trombone | |
| (Rtt-ta-ta-ta! is a hair-trombone!) | 30 |
| And this is our marching-song: | |
| Can’t! Don’t! Shan’t! Won’t! | |
| Pass it along the line! | |
| Somebody’s pack has slid from his back, | |
| ’Wish it were only mine! | 35 |
| Somebody’s load has tipped off in the road— | |
| Cheer for a halt and a row! | |
| Urrr! Yarrh! Grr! Arrh! | |
| Somebody’s catching it now! | |
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ALL THE BEASTS TOGETHER
Children of the Camp are we, | 40 |
| Serving each in his degree; | |
| Children of the yoke and goad, | |
| Pack and harness, pad and load. | |
| See our line across the plain, | |
| Like a heel-rope bent again, | 45 |
| Reaching, writhing, rolling far, | |
| Sweeping all away to war! | |
| While the men that walk beside, | |
| Dusty, silent, heavy-eyed, | |
| Cannot tell why we or they | 50 |
| March and suffer day by day. | |
| Children of the Camp are we, | |
| Serving each in his degree; | |
| Children of the yoke and goad, | |
| Pack and harness, pad and load. | 55 |
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