Scarlet Ladies (Original: Spanish Ladies)
Farewell an’ adieu to you fair scarlet ladies,
Farewell, adieu to the girls of Mr Wines,
For we’ve received orders for to zail for a clipper,
An’ hope very shortly to see you again.
We’ll rant an’ we’ll roar, like true Neathy zailors,
We’ll rant an’ we’ll rave across the dark Zee,
‘Till we strike soundings in the Cumaean Channel,
From Whither to Codex is seventy-seven leagues.
We hove our ship to, with the hunger fulfilled, boys,
We hove our ship to for to take soundings clear.
In seventy-seven fathoms with a deep sunless bottom,
We pushed down our terror, up Adam’s Way did steer.
The first land we made was a port called Carnelian,
Next Iron Republic, Vengerbight, and Brite.
We sailed then by Pigmote, by Khanate and Polythreme,
Then bore straight away for Avid Horizon.
Now the signal was made for the clipper to anchor,
We’re paid by Admiralty, turned in our reports.
We filled up our fuel tank, we loaded our weapons,
And anchored ahead of the noblest of ships.
Let every man here drink to Salt and to Storm,
Let every man here drink up to Storm’s blessing
And let us be jolly and drown melancholy,
Drink a health to each Seeker all lost to the Name.
