Christmas At Sea.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18946, 17 December 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

Christmas At Sea.

(By ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.) The sheets were frozen hard, and they cut the naked hand; The decks were like a slide, whert the seamen scarce could stand. The wind was a nor’-wester, blowing squally off the sea; And cliffs and spouting breakers we»u the only .things a-lee. We gave the South a wider berth, foi there the tide-race roared; But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard; So’s we saw the cliffs and houses, ar.d the breakers running high. And the coastguard in his garden, witn his glass against his eye. The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer, For it’s just that I should tell you bow (of all days in the year) The day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn, And the house above the coastguard’s was the house where I was born O well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there. My mother’s silver spectacles, sr,y father's silver hair; And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of. homely elves Go dancing round the china plates that stand upon the shelves. And well I knew the talk they had. the talk that was of me. Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea; And O the wicked fool I seemed, ir. every kind of way, To be here hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day.