"Gunga Din."

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7337, 18 July 1892, Page 2

" Gunga Din."

♦ la noticing Kudyard Kipling's " Barrackroom Ballads/ the Spectator says :— The ballad called " Gunga Din " seems to us as good an example »s we could give both of Mr Eudyard Kipling's dramatic power and of the British soldier's better qualities. It is as pathetic as it is coarse, as generous as it is rough — for we can hardly apply the word " brutal " to so sympathetic a picture of self-forgetful duty— a3 full of recognition of the fidelity of the native servant of the regiment as it is full of recognition of the imperious exactions of those whom he served :— " Ton may tnllr o" gin and beer Whan you're quartered aafo out 'ere, An' you're sont to panny-fights an' Alderfihot it ; But when it com* 8 to slaughter You will do jour work on water, An' you'll lick the bloomiu' boots of 'im that's got it. Now in Injia's sunny dime, Whero I used to spend my tiina A. serving o£ 'Br Majesty the Queen, Of all them Mack-faced crow The finest inau I knaw Was our regimental bhiati, Gunga Din. It wbb ' Dm ! i>iu ! Div ! You limpin' lump o' brick-dust, Guiiga Din ! Hi! alippery hiihevno'. Water, got it! l'anetlnol You Equidgy-uosed old idul, Gunga Din.' •' The uni'orin 'o wore Was notbin' much beforo, An* rather less than \irf o' that be'iud, For a pieca o' twisty rag An' a goatskin water-ba? Wa3 all the field. equipment *o could find. When the sweatio' troop-train lay In a sidin* through the day, Where the 'eat would make your bloomiu' eyebrows crawl. Wo shouted • Harry By ! ' Till our threats wens biicky.dry, Theu we woppei Mm 'causa 'o couldn't sorve ub all. it was ' Din! Din! Din! You 'eithon, where the mischief 'aye you been ? You put aoino jublce in it Or I'll vanrrov; you this minute If you dou't fillnp my bolinet, Qunga Din! ' '" E would dot and carry one Till tb,«j longest day was dona, . An* '« didu't seem to know the nao o' tear. If wo charged, or broke, or cut, You could bet your blooming nut Ed bd waitiu' fifty paces right flank roar, With 'i 3 mussick on 'is back ! '& would skip with our attack. An' watch as till the bogles made ' Eetire," An' for all 'is dirty 'ids E waß white, clear white, inoide When 'c went to tend the wounded under firo ! It was ' Div ! Din ! Din !' With the bullets kickiu' dust-spots on the green. Wben tbo cartridges ran out, You could hoar the front files shout, ' Hi ! ammunition-mulea an' Gunga Din !' "I Bha'n'D forgit the night When I dropped bo'ind tho fl?ht With a bullet where my belt-plata should 'a' been, I was chokin' mad with thirst, An' the mm that spied me first Was our good old g:inniu', gruntin' G untja Din. •E lifted up my 'eid, An' 'c plnggsd ma where I bled, An' f e guv me "arf-o-pint o' water-green : It was crawlin' and it stunk, But of all tbe drink? I've drunk, I'm gratefullest to one from Uunga Din. It was • Din ! Din I Din ! •£re'a a beggar with a bw'let throngh 'ia spleon ; 'fi'a ohawin' up the ground, An' 'c's kiokiu' all aronnd : I For Gawd's sake git the water, Gunga Din! I " 'J3 carried me away To where a dooli lay, An* a bullet come an' drillod the beggar clean. 'J2 put me safe inside. An' ju9t before he died, I 'ope you lik« ynur drink,' tcz Gunga Din. So I'll meet him later on At the place whero 'o ie gone— Wher9 it's always double drill and no canteen ; '.Ell ba Equattiu' on tho coals Giviu' drink to poor damned sonls. An' I'U net a swig m hell from Gunga Div ! Yea. Din ! Din ! Din ! You La zurualiian. leather Gunga Din ! Though I've bcltoci you and flayed jvu, By tho 'ivin' Gavrd that made you, You're abotter mau thaD I aic, Guuga Din !'' (