NEAR HAVANNA

It was down near Havanna town, ho!

It was down near Havanna town, low,

That I saw a mortal fight,

At the coming on of night,

By the starlight a long time ago.

Two Spaniards were a-fighting for their lives,

The blades flashed like lightning up and down;

To the click and the clock of the knives,

And there stood a lady looking on.

I asked her the cause of the fray,

And she answered in Spanish: “Oh see!

They are villains who carried me away,

And now they are fighting for me.”

And I said as I looked at her face

That I hardly could blame such a theft,

“But I’ ll wait until one gets his grace,

Then I’ ll tackle with the other who is left.”

But just as I spoke, with a start,

The two leapt and fell on the sand,

For both had been stabbed to the heart

And each had his death out of hand.

So I and the donna were friends,

And that of the kindest and best;

Now here this true history ends,

And you must imagine the rest.

And’ twas all near Havanna town, ho!

It was down by Havanna town, low,

That I saw this mortal fight,

At the coming on of night,

By the starlight a long time ago.

There sat a stranger there whom no one knew,

Who did not seem a follower of the sea,

And yet no stranger surely to the Blue,

Who now politely spoke the company,

Saying unto them: “Mates,’ tween you and me,

I put it as a question — don’ t you think

That it is pretty near time to take a drink?

And if you do belong to Gideon’ s Band,

Then here’ s my purse to pay — and here’ s my hand”—

There was a roar of laughter loud and long,

And then the stranger burst into a song;

But for a minute were they all so gay,

For with the words their laughter died away.