THE HUNTING OF THE SNARK 761
"Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!
But we've got our brave Captain to thank"
(So the crew would protest) "that he's bought us the
best
—
A perfect and absolute blank!"
This was charming, no doubt : but they shortly found out
That the Captain they trusted so well
Had only one notion for crossing the ocean.
And that was to tingle his bell.
He was thoughtful and grave—but the orders he gave
Were enough to bewilder a crew.
When he cried "Steer to starboard, but keep her head
\
larboard!"
What on earth was the helmsman to do ?
Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes
A thing, as the Bellman remarked.
That frequently happens in tropical climes,
When a vessel is, so to speak, "snarked."
But the principal failing occurred in the sailing,
And the Bellman, perplexed and distressed.
Said he had hoped, at least, when the wind blew due East,
That the ship would not travel due West!
But the danger was past—they had landed at last,
With their boxes, portmanteaus, and bags
:
Yet at first sight the crew were not pleased with the view
Which consisted of chasms and crags.

​

762 VERSE
The Bellman perceived that their spirits were low.
And repeated in musical tone
Some jokes he had kept for a season of woe
—
But the crew would do nothing but groan.
He served out some grog with a liberal hand,
And bade them sit down on the beach
:
And they could not but own that their Captain looked
grand,
As he stood and delivered his speech.
Friends, Romans, and countrymen, lend me your ears!"
(They were all of them fond of quotations:
So they drank to his health, and they gave him three
cheers.
While he served out additional rations).
"We have sailed many months, we have sailed many
weeks,
(Four weeks to the month you may mark).
But never as yet ('tis your Captain who speaks)
Have we caught the least glimpse of a Snark!
"We have sailed many weeks, we have sailed many days,
(Seven days to the week I allow).
But a Snark, on the which we might lovingly gaze.
We have never beheld till now!
'Come, listen, my men, while I tell you again
The five unmistakable marks
By which you may know, wheresoever you go,
The warranted genuine Snarks.

"How do you feel", "How do you feel",​"How do you feel", ...​asked the roving eye and the roving eye and the roving eye... From a different vantage another eye caught what appeared to be stamens of another colour turned inside out. No! Closeups revealed a few hapless hair meshed with bulbuous, click mouse type reporter mikes. The object (mummy_egyptian_kind) for strange reasons hyperlinked to ROM locations of  brands of footwear the thugs wore when they kicked it in. It  emanated "*!#*** U". The mikes construed "Fine thank you".