Charley Buff

Oh Charley Buff was his parents’ joy, And as he always told, He went to sea as a cabin-boy Before he was one year old.

Chorus. Now this is pretty bad, But it’s nothin’ to what’s a-coming: Yet Charley he was a truthful lad, And never indulged in humming.

And this Charley Buff allays said to me: “To lie I cannot afford, For you know I hev got more truth in me Than all of the rest on board.

“I have seen in the isle of Barriboo Such high-sized coco-nuts, That the natives used to split ’em in two And use ’em to make their huts.

“I hev seen the Kanaka women Foller a ship’n full sail, A thousand miles a-swimmin’ For a bottle or a tenpenny nail.

“I hev seen the eggs of the toodly-wang; It’s a bird in the Muldive Isles; And when they hatch they burst with a bang You can hear five hundred miles.

“From a Cariboo king named Jocko, A man of cheerful life, For only a fid of tobacco I bought me a beautiful wife.

“One night she was gone, by gum! But as soon as ever I missed her, From the king for a glass of rum I bought her younger sister.

“One evening for their tea Her family broiled and ate her; ‘Never mind!’ says the king to me, ‘Just go and pick out a better.’”

Chorus. Now this is pretty bad, Yet it’s nothin’ to what’s a-coming; But I hear the old man a bawlin’ like mad, So I guess I will stop my humming.

“Wal,” answered Brown, “that comes it rather strong. Now if you like I’ll sing a pirate’s song Of which you all have heard at times a bit; I’ve jined ’em into one to make ’em fit, Like beads upon a string, altho’ I fear It’s partly pirate and part mutineer.”