I do not know that
it ever appeared in print before. When seated round the kid,
if a particularly bad piece is found, one of them takes it up,
and addressing it, repeats these lines: "Old horse! old horse!
what brought you here?"
- "From Sacarap to Portland pier
I've carted stone this many a year:
Till, killed by blows and sore abuse,
They salted me down for sailors' use.
The sailors they do me despise:
They turn me over and damn my eyes;
Cut off my meat, and pick my bones,
And pitch the rest to Davy Jones."
There is a story current among seamen, that a beef-dealer was
convicted, at Boston, of having sold old horse for ship's stores,
instead of beef, and had been sentenced to be confined in jail,
until he should eat the whole of it; and that he is now lying
in Boston jail. I have heard this story often, on board other
vessels beside those of our own nation. It is very generally
believed, and is always highly commended, as a fair instance
of retaliatory justice.
- - - - - - - -
for the latter part of the voyage, for they are sailors, and can
stand all weathers. We had an old sow on board, the mother of a
numerous progeny, who had been twice round the Cape of Good Hope,
and once round Cape Horn.
