The China Coasters

We know the coast of China, Tongking to Pechili, We’ve stemmed the Canton River, the Min, Peiho, Yangtze; Steamed north to Vladivostok, the shores of fair Japan; Korea knows our vessels; we’ve coasted round Taiwan.

And south to Iloilo, Manila or Cebu, The Java Sea has borne us, the Gulf of Siam, too; We’ve anchored off Macassar, we know Sandakan’s shore, And, sou’-by-west from Saigon, have won to Singapore.

We’ve loaded coal at Mojii, or bean-cake at Hankow, Brought sugar up from Java, and “porkers” from Haichow.

Too strange for us no cargo — poles, chickens, cattle, beans, Eels, seaweed, donkeys, samshu, and even “dead marines’’.

We’ve battled up from south’ard, against the fierce monsoon; Through thickest fog we’ve blundered, or fought the dread typhoon.

The four-hour watches tire us in sun, rain, ice or snow, Our rooms awash with water, or hot as hell below!

No pass or strait too narrow, too shoal for us no bar; No inside track too tricky but there the coasters are.

We’ve found the rock uncharted and beached her high and dry; We’ve dodged the deadly war-mine and risked our ships thereby.

We sweat beneath the tropics in fever-haunted seas, We know the Northern winter, when rapid rivers freeze.

We’ve seen our shipmates stricken by sickness foul and swift, Ay! some no more we’ll sail with — they’ve had this final shift!

We know the joys of sailing with lazy Chinese crews, Whose motto is “No savvy”—small blame if we should booze!

We know the Hongkong “ladies”, the dives of gay Shanghai — Ye gods, to think this living is ours until we die!

Our ships are far from splendid, and not too large our “screw”; Our spells in port not lengthy, our pleasures passing few.

You landsmen, in your comfort, who know not these things be, Think not too harshly of us—your countrymen at sea!

Suva.

C.S.S.