The Wreck Of The Abercrombie Robinson Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AAAA BBAA CCDD EFGG HHII AAJK AADD LLMM NNGG KJDD LLOP HHQQ MMLL RRRR SSQQ LLSS QQTT MMQQQQ| Twas in the year of and on the th of May | A |
| That six Companies of the st Regiment with spirits light and gay | A |
| And forming the Second Battalion left Naas without delay | A |
| Commanded by Captain Bertie Gordon to proceed to the Cape straightaway | A |
| - | |
| And on the second of June they sailed for the Cape of Good Hope | B |
| On board the Abercrombie Robinson a vessel with which few vessels could cope | B |
| And in August the th they reached Table Bay | A |
| Where a battalion of the st was warned for service without delay | A |
| - | |
| To relieve the st which was to be stationed at Cape Town | C |
| An order which the st obeyed without a single frown | C |
| And all the officers not on duty obtained leave to go ashore | D |
| Leaving only six aboard in grief to deplore | D |
| - | |
| There were men of the st seemingly all content | E |
| Besides a draft of the Cape Mounted Rides and a draft of the th Regiment | F |
| But alas an hour after midnight on the same night | G |
| A strong gale was blowing which filled the passengers' hearts with fright | G |
| - | |
| The ship pitched heavily and could be felt touching the ground | H |
| Then Captain Gordon warned the Sergeant Major and officers all round | H |
| That they might expect a storm to him it seemed plain | I |
| And as he predicted it blew a terrific hurricane | I |
| - | |
| And the passengers' hearts were filled with dismay | A |
| And a little after three o'clock in the morning the cable broke away | A |
| Then the ship drifted helplessly before the merciless storm | J |
| While the women and children looked sad pale and forlorn | K |
| - | |
| Then the thunder roared and the lightning dashed in bright array | A |
| And was one of the greatest storms ever raged over Table Bay | A |
| And the ill fated vessel drove in towards the shore | D |
| While the Storm Fiend did laugh and loudly did roar | D |
| - | |
| And the ship rolled and heaved with the raging tide | L |
| While the seas poured down the hatchways and broke over her side | L |
| And the ship wrought for herself a bed in the sand | M |
| Still Captain Bertie hoped all might get safely to land | M |
| - | |
| 'Twas about seven o'clock when daylight did appear | N |
| And when the storm ceases the passengers gave a cheer | N |
| Who had been kept below during the awful night | G |
| Then in small groups they came on deck a most pitiful sight | G |
| - | |
| Alas sad and dejected sickly looking pale and forlorn | K |
| Owing to the close confinement during the storm | J |
| And for a time attempts were made to send a rope ashore | D |
| But these proved futile owing to the raging billows which loudly did roar | D |
| - | |
| Then one of the ship's cutters was carefully lowered over the side | L |
| And her crew towards the shore merrily did glide | L |
| And succeeded in reaching the shore with a leading line | O |
| And two boats were conveyed to the sinking ship just in time | P |
| - | |
| And to save the women and children from being drowned | H |
| Captain Gordon gave orders to the st all round | H |
| For the women and children to disembark immediately | Q |
| Who to God were crying for help most frantically | Q |
| - | |
| And the st made a most determined stand | M |
| While lowering the women and children it was awful and grand | M |
| As they lowered them gently into the boats over the ship's side | L |
| Regardless of their own lives whatever would betide | L |
| - | |
| Then the sick were to disembark after the women and children | R |
| And next the th Regiment and Cape Mounted Riflemen | R |
| And from half past eight till ten o'clock the disembarkation went on | R |
| While the women and children looked ghastly pale and woe begone | R |
| - | |
| The disembarkation of the st came at last | S |
| And as there were only two boats available they stood aghast | S |
| Because the boats only carried each time thirty | Q |
| Still the work went on for four hours most manfully | Q |
| - | |
| And at half past three the last boat left the ship's side | L |
| And o'er the raging billows the small boats did glide | L |
| Containing the officers and crew who remained to the last | S |
| To see the women and children saved and all danger past | S |
| - | |
| And after a night of great danger and through a raging sea | Q |
| Seven hundred souls were carried from a sinking ship providentially | Q |
| And among them were trembling children and nervous women also | T |
| And sick men who were dying with their hearts full of woe | T |
| - | |
| But thank Cod they were all saved and brought to land | M |
| All through Colonel Bertie Gordon who wisely did command | M |
| The st to see to the women and children's safety | Q |
| An order which they obeyed right manfully | Q |
| And all honour is due to the st for their gallantry | Q |
| Likewise Captain Bertie Gordon who behaved so heroically | Q |
William Topaz Mcgonagall
(1)
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