Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/258

 THE LOST LEGION

a Legion that never was 'listed,

That carries no colours or crest,

But, split in a thousand detachments,

Is breaking the road for the rest.

Our fathers they left us their blessing—

They taught us, and groomed us, and crammed;

But we've shaken the Clubs and the Messes

To go and find out and be damned,

Dear boys!

To go and get shot and be damned.

So some of us chevy the slaver,

And some of us cherish the black,

And some of us hunt on the Oil Coast,

And some on—the Wallaby track:

And some of us drift to Sarawak,

And some of us drift up The Fly,

And some share our tucker with tigers,

And some with the gentle Masai,

Dear boys!

Take tea with the giddy Masai.

(Copyright, 1893, by Macmillan & Co.)

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