4 ALONGSHORE = 



born and bred, he first inquired what 'metaphor' 

 means, and then pronounced judgment thus: 

 'Aye! 'tis all very good so far as it goes, but it 

 don't go far enough. 'Tis true what he talks 

 about, I'll say that; I've often an' often felt the 

 same when I've been out there alone by night, or 

 wi' my mate asleep under the cutty; only the 

 likes of us can't make verses out o' what us feels. 

 That's the time when things enter into your 

 mind, for all you may be keeping watch so that 

 a fish can't jump wi'out you noticing o'it. Thic 

 chap, wi' his sea-wind yesterday an' to-day an' 

 to-morrow. . . . Why, I've a-see'd it change 

 every hour o' the day an' night! If he was 

 depending on the sea-wind for his living, an' his 

 life too, come to that, an' had a parcel o' chil'ern 

 depending on him, he'd watch the wind more care- 

 ful'n that. He'd watch it three days afore 'twas 

 come, an' three days a'ter 'twas gone. He'd watch 

 it like you watches your wife just afore her goes up 

 over for her first. I knows thic mystery he speaks 

 of; but there's a hell of a lot more in it than that, 

 'cause thee casn't watch for mysteries if thee doesn't 

 live, an' thee casn't live if thee doesn't watch all 

 o'it, mysteries an' all. I wonder do thic fellow 

 wake up at night every time the wind changes?' 



