[Encouraged by the example of some eminent followers of TYRTÆUS,
_Mr. Punch_ has great pleasure in printing the following topical
soldiers' song, composed by one of his young men after reading about
a British force that seized Archibong in the Cameroons.]
O we're marching on to good old Archibong;
And we're going most particularly strong;
For our beef is really "bully,"
And they feed us very fully--
Yes, the feeding's fit for any restaurong,
_Très bong_,
Fit for any fust-class London restaurong.
What's the matter with the road to Archibong?
We didn't come out here to play ping-pong
Or to get up a gymkhana--
But we'll all have a banana
When we've driven back the Proosians to Hong Kong,
Ding-dong,
When we've driven back the Proosians to Hong Kong.
What's the matter with the town of Archibong?
It isn't quite as lively as Boulong;
But the name is very tuneful--
Yes, I'll have another spoonful,
For I never liked my soda-water strong;
It's wrong
For a man to drink his soda-water strong.
Then here's a parting cheer to Archibong,
Where the natives play divinely on the gong;
It's not so cool and airy
As the town of Tipperary,
But it's just as good for tittuping along
In a song,
It's just as good for tittuping along.
* * * * *