The Ghost Pirates Part 1

The Ghost Pirates.

by William Hope Hodgson.

Preface

This book forms the last of three. The first published was "_The Boats of 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 with certain conceptions that have an elemental kins.h.i.+p. With this book, the author believes that he closes the door, so far as he is concerned, on a particular phase of constructive thought.

The h.e.l.l 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 sh.e.l.lbacks!

Men . . . . . . Hus.h.!.+

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 . . Hus.h.!.+ O hear 'em!

Hark! O hear 'em!

Hurling oaths among their spars!

Men . . . . . . Hark! O hear 'em!

Hus.h.!.+ 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 . . . . . . Hus.h.!.+ O hear 'em pant!

Hark! O hear 'em rant!

Chaunty Man . . Click, a-c.l.i.tter, 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-clack Chaunty Man . . Bustle now each jolly Jack.

Surging easy! Surging e-a-s-y!!

Men . . . . . . Ha-a!-o-o!

Surging easy Chaunty 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!