From Mine Own People by Rudyard Kipling
page 120 of 1159 (10%)
page 120 of 1159 (10%)
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Who tramped through the jungle and camped in the byre, Who died in the swamp and were tombed in the mire, Who gave up their lives, at the Queen's Command, For the Pride of their Race and the Peace of the Land. Now, first of the foemen of Boh Da Thone Was Captain O'Neil of the "Black Tyrone", And his was a Company, seventy strong, Who hustled that dissolute Chief along. There were lads from Galway and Louth and Meath Who went to their death with a joke in their teeth, And worshipped with fluency, fervour, and zeal The mud on the boot-heels of "Crook" O'Neil. But ever a blight on their labours lay, And ever their quarry would vanish away, Till the sun-dried boys of the Black Tyrone Took a brotherly interest in Boh Da Thone: And, sooth, if pursuit in possession ends, The Boh and his trackers were best of friends. The word of a scout--a march by night-- A rush through the mist--a scattering fight-- A volley from cover--a corpse in the clearing-- The glimpse of a loin-cloth and heavy jade earring-- The flare of a village--the tally of slain-- And. . .the Boh was abroad "on the raid" again! |
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