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SEEING THE ELEPHANT (D. G. Robinson) When I left the States for gold, Everything I had was sold: A stove and bed, a fat old sow, Sixteen chickens, and a cow. Cho: So leave, you miners, leave. Oh, leave, you miners, leave. Take my advice. Kill off your lice, or else go up to the mountains. Oh, no, lots of dust! I'm going to the city to get on a "bust." Oh, no, lots of dust! I'm going to the city to get on a "bust." Off I started, Yankee-like, I soon fell in with a lot from Pike. The next was, "Damn you, back, wo-haw," A right smart chance from Arkansaw. On the Platte, we couldn't agree, Because I had the di-a-ree. We were split up. I made a break, With one old mule for the Great Salt Lake. The Mormon girls were fat as hogs; The chief production, cats and dogs. Some had ten wives; others none. Thirty-six had Brigham Young. The damn fool, like all the rest, Supposed the thirty-six the best. He soon found out his virgin dears Had all been Mormons thirteen years. Being brave, I cut and carved, On the desert, nearly starved. My old mule laid down and died. I had no blanket; took his hide. The poor coyotes stole my meat, Then I had nought but bread to eat. It was not long till that gave out, Then how I cursed the Truckee route! On I traveled through the pines, At last, I found the northern mines. I stole a dog, got whipped like hell, Then away I went to Marysville. There I filled the town with lice, And robbed the Chinese of their rice. The people say, "You've got the itch. Leave here, you lousy son of a bitch." Because I would not pay my bill, They kicked me out of Downieville. I stole a mule and lost the trail And then fetched up in Hangtown jail. Canvas roof and paper walls, Twenty horse-thieves in the stalls; I did as I had done before: Coyoted out from 'neath the floor. I robbed a nigger of a dollar, And bought unguent to grease my collar. I tried a pint; not one had gone, Then it beat the devil how I daubed it on. I mined a while, got lean and lank, And lastly stole a monte-bank. Went to the city, got a gambler's name, And lost my bank at the thimble game. I fell in love with a California girl. Here eyes were gray. Her hair did curl. Her nose turned up to get rid of her chin. Says she, "You're a miner. you can't come in." When the elephant I had seen, I'm damned if I thought I was green. And others say, both night and morn, They saw him coming round the Horn. If I should make another raise, In New York sure I'll spend my days. I'll be a merchant, buy a saw. So, good-bye, mines and Panama. Words, D. G. Robinson; music, D. E. Emmett, "De Boatman Dance." From Lingenfelter & Dwyer, "Songs of the American West." filename[ SEELEPHT TUNE FILE: BOATDANC CLICK TO PLAY XX |
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