"THE DEAD HORSE."

Colonist, Volume LV, Issue 13801, 26 August 1913, Page 2

"THE DEAD HORSE."

The phrase "the dead horse" comes to us (states an exchange) from the days of sailing-ships, and describes the manner in which the sailor on such vessels celebrated the end of his first month at sea, the period during which he was, from his point of view, working for nothing. For generally the sailor, haying spent his wages, wanted a mdnth's pay in advance when he signed on for a new voyage. That pay usually went either to his dependents, or in the purchase' of oilskins and soaboots, or into the pockets of hotelkeepers, so he came, on board' with empty pockets and a month1 before him during which lie would have to work j for nothing. At the end of the month he was wont to give vent to his extreme satisfaction by making an •imitation horse, and riding it along the deck, to the accompaniment of, the following chanty:— They say my horse is dead "and gone, And they say so, they hope so^_ . They say my liorse is dead and gone'; Oh, poor old man! • ' ' For a long month I rode him hard; If lie's not dead I'll ride him, again, " But if he's dead I'll bury.jiim low..