Page:The Seven Seas (Kipling, 1896).djvu/203

Rh An' the major cursed 'is Maker 'cause 'e lived to see that day,

An' the colonel broke 'is sword acrost, an' cried.

We was rotten 'fore we started—we was never disciplined;

We made it out a favour if an order was obeyed;

Yes, every little drummer 'ad 'is rights an' wrongs to mind,

So we had to pay for teachin'—an' we paid!

The papers 'id it 'andsome, but you know the Army knows;

We was put to groomin' camels till the regiments withdrew,

An' they gave us each a medal for subduin' England's foes,

An' I 'ope you like my song—because it's true!

An' there ain't no chorus 'ere to give,

Nor there ain't no band to play;

But I wish I was dead 'fore I done what I did,

Or seen what I seed that day!