Robinson Crusoe's Story

THE night was thick and hazy   
   When the 'Piccadilly Daisy'   
Carried down the crew and captain in the sea;   
   And I think the water drowned 'em;   
   For they never, never found 'em,
And I know they didn't come ashore with me.   
  

   Oh! 'twas very sad and lonely   
   When I found myself the only   
Population on this cultivated shore;   
   But I've made a little tavern
   In a rocky little cavern,   
And I sit and watch for people at the door.   
  

   I spent no time in looking   
   For a girl to do my cooking,   
As I'm quite a clever hand at making stews;
   But I had that fellow Friday,   
   Just to keep the tavern tidy,   
And to put a Sunday polish on my shoes.   
  

   I have a little garden   
   That I'm cultivating lard in,
As the things I eat are rather tough and dry;   
   For I live on toasted lizards,   
   Prickly pears, and parrot gizzards,   
And I'm really very fond of beetle-pie.   
  

   The clothes I had were furry,
   And it made me fret and worry   
When I found the moths were eating off the hair;   
   And I had to scrape and sand 'em,   
   And I boiled 'em and I tanned 'em,   
Till I got the fine morocco suit I wear.
  

   I sometimes seek diversion   
   In a family excursion   
With the few domestic animals you see;   
   And we take along a carrot   
   As refreshment for the parrot,
And a little can of jungleberry tea.   
  

   Then we gather as we travel,   
   Bits of moss and dirty gravel,   
And we chip off little specimens of stone;   
   And we carry home as prizes
   Funny bugs, of handy sizes,   
Just to give the day a scientific tone.   
  

   If the roads are wet and muddy   
   We remain at home and study,—   
For the Goat is very clever at a sum,—
   And the Dog, instead of fighting,   
   Studies ornamental writing,   
While the Cat is taking lessons on the drum.   
  

   We retire at eleven,   
   And we rise again at seven;
And I wish to call attention, as I close,   
   To the fact that all the scholars   
   Are correct about their collars,   
And particular in turning out their toes.