"You never see a decent figure-'ead,
Not now," Bill said;
"A fiddlin' bit o' scrollwork at the bow,
That's the most now;
But Lord! I've seen some beauties, more 'n a few,
An' some rare rum uns too.
"Folks in all sorts o' queer old-fashioned rigs,
Fellers in wigs,
Chaps in cocked 'ats an' 'elmets, lords an' dukes.
Folks out o' books,
Niggers in turbans, mandarins an' Moors,
And 'eathen gods by scores;
"An' women in all kinds o' fancy dresses--
Queens an' princesses,
Witches on broomsticks too, an' spankin' girls
With streamin' curls,
An' dragons an' sea serpents--Lord knows what
I've seen an' what I've not!
"An' some's in breakers' yards now, thick with grime
And weathered white wi' time;
An' some stuck up in gardens 'ere an' there
With plants for 'air;
An' no one left as knows but chaps like me
How fine wi' paint an' gold they used to be
In them old days at sea."