'Ware Holes! - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 20:50, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T20:50:46Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:50, 4 April 2026
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	== 'Ware Holes! ==		== 'Ware Holes! ==

	[" 'Ware Holes!" is the expression used in the hunting-field to warn those behind against rabbit-burrows or other such dangers.]		["'Ware Holes!" is the expression used in the hunting-field to warn those behind against rabbit-burrows or other such dangers.]

TCDE-Team at 20:50, 4 April 2026

2026-04-04T20:50:23Z

TCDE-Team at 15:06, 21 July 2016

2016-07-21T15:06:37Z

New page

'' 'Ware Holes!'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.

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== Editions ==

* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1898-1916, [[Smith, Elder & Co.]] [UK])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (august 1898, [[Charles Scribner's Sons]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (september 1898, [[Doubleday & McClure Co.|Doubleday, Page & Co.]] [US])
* in ''[[Songs of Action]]'' (1918-1920, [[John Murray]] [UK])
* in ''[[The Poems of Arthur Conan Doyle]]'' (1922-1928, [[John Murray]] [UK])

== 'Ware Holes! ==

[" 'Ware Holes!" is the expression used in the hunting-field to warn those behind against rabbit-burrows or other such dangers.]

A sportin' death! My word it was! 
An' taken in a sportin' way. 
Mind you, I wasn't there to see ; 
I only tell you what they say.

They found that day at Shillinglee, 
An' ran 'im down to Chillinghurst ; 
The fox was goin' straight an' free 
For ninety minutes at a burst.

They 'ad a check at Ebernoe 
An' made a cast across the Down, 
Until they got a view 'ullo 
An' chased 'im up to Kirdford town.

From Kirdford 'e run Bramber way, 
An' took 'em over 'alf the Weald. 
If you 'ave tried the Sussex clay, 
You'll guess it weeded out the field.

Until at last I don't suppose 
As 'arf a dozen, at the most, 
Came safe to where the grassland goes 
Switchbackin' southwards to the coast.

Young Captain 'Eadley, 'e was there, 
And Jim the whip an' Percy Day ; 
The Purcells an' Sir Charles Adair, 
An' this 'ere gent from London way.

For 'e 'ad gone amazin' fine, 
Two 'undred pounds between 'is knees ; 
Eight stone he was, an' rode at nine, 
As light an' limber as you please.

'E was a stranger to the 'Unt, 
There weren't a person as 'e knew there ; 
But 'e could ride, that London gent- 
'E sat 'is mare as if 'e grew there.

They seed the 'ounds upon the scent, 
But found a fence across their track, 
And 'ad to fly it; else it meant 
A turnin' and a 'arkin' back.

'E was the foremost at the fence, 
And as 'is mare just cleared the rail 
He turned to them that rode be'ind, 
For three was at 'is very tail.

"'Ware 'oles!" says 'e, an' with the word, 
Still sittin' easy on his mare, 
Down, down 'e went, an' down an' down, 
Into the quarry yawnin' there.

Some say it was two 'undred foot ; 
The bottom lay as black as ink. 
I guess they 'ad some ugly dreams, 
Who reined their 'orses on the brink.

'E'd only time for that one cry ; 
''Ware 'oles! ' says 'e, an' saves all three. 
There may be better deaths to die, 
But that one's good enough for me.

For mind you, 'twas a sportin' end, 
Upon a right good sportin' day ; 
They think a deal of 'im down 'ere, 
That gent what came from London way.

----
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:Complete Works|Back to Complete Works]]
* [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Back to Conan Doyle]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:50, 4 April 2026
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	'' 'Ware Holes!'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.		'' 'Ware Holes!'' is a poem written by [[Arthur Conan Doyle]] first published in [[Songs of Action]] on 8 june 1898.


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	[" 'Ware Holes!" is the expression used in the hunting-field to warn those behind against rabbit-burrows or other such dangers.]		[" 'Ware Holes!" is the expression used in the hunting-field to warn those behind against rabbit-burrows or other such dangers.]

	A sportin' death! My word it was!~~<br />~~
	An' taken in a sportin' way.~~<br />~~		<poem>
	Mind you, I wasn't there to see ;~~<br />~~		A sportin' death! My word it was!
			An' taken in a sportin' way.
			Mind you, I wasn't there to see ;
	I only tell you what they say.		I only tell you what they say.

	They found that day at Shillinglee,~~<br />~~		They found that day at Shillinglee,
	An' ran 'im down to Chillinghurst ;~~<br />~~		An' ran 'im down to Chillinghurst ;
	The fox was goin' straight an' free~~<br />~~		The fox was goin' straight an' free
	For ninety minutes at a burst.		For ninety minutes at a burst.

	They 'ad a check at Ebernoe~~<br />~~		They 'ad a check at Ebernoe
	An' made a cast across the Down,~~<br />~~		An' made a cast across the Down,
	Until they got a view 'ullo~~<br />~~		Until they got a view 'ullo
	An' chased 'im up to Kirdford town.		An' chased 'im up to Kirdford town.

	From Kirdford 'e run Bramber way,~~<br />~~		From Kirdford 'e run Bramber way,
	An' took 'em over 'alf the Weald.~~<br />~~		An' took 'em over 'alf the Weald.
	If you 'ave tried the Sussex clay,~~<br />~~		If you 'ave tried the Sussex clay,
	You'll guess it weeded out the field.		You'll guess it weeded out the field.

	Until at last I don't suppose~~<br />~~		Until at last I don't suppose
	As 'arf a dozen, at the most,~~<br />~~		As 'arf a dozen, at the most,
	Came safe to where the grassland goes~~<br />~~		Came safe to where the grassland goes
	Switchbackin' southwards to the coast.		Switchbackin' southwards to the coast.

	Young Captain 'Eadley, 'e was there,~~<br />~~		Young Captain 'Eadley, 'e was there,
	And Jim the whip an' Percy Day ;~~<br />~~		And Jim the whip an' Percy Day ;
	The Purcells an' Sir Charles Adair,~~<br />~~		The Purcells an' Sir Charles Adair,
	An' this 'ere gent from London way.		An' this 'ere gent from London way.

	For 'e 'ad gone amazin' fine,~~<br />~~		For 'e 'ad gone amazin' fine,
	Two 'undred pounds between 'is knees ;~~<br />~~		Two 'undred pounds between 'is knees ;
	Eight stone he was, an' rode at nine,~~<br />~~		Eight stone he was, an' rode at nine,
	As light an' limber as you please.		As light an' limber as you please.

	'E was a stranger to the 'Unt,~~<br />~~		'E was a stranger to the 'Unt,
	There weren't a person as 'e knew there ;~~<br />~~		There weren't a person as 'e knew there ;
	But 'e could ride, that London gent-~~<br />~~		But 'e could ride, that London gent-
	'E sat 'is mare as if 'e grew there.		'E sat 'is mare as if 'e grew there.

	They seed the 'ounds upon the scent,~~<br />~~		They seed the 'ounds upon the scent,
	But found a fence across their track,~~<br />~~		But found a fence across their track,
	And 'ad to fly it; else it meant~~<br />~~		And 'ad to fly it; else it meant
	A turnin' and a 'arkin' back.		A turnin' and a 'arkin' back.

	'E was the foremost at the fence,~~<br />~~		'E was the foremost at the fence,
	And as 'is mare just cleared the rail~~<br />~~		And as 'is mare just cleared the rail
	He turned to them that rode be'ind,~~<br />~~		He turned to them that rode be'ind,
	For three was at 'is very tail.		For three was at 'is very tail.

	"'Ware 'oles!" says 'e, an' with the word,~~<br />~~		"'Ware 'oles!" says 'e, an' with the word,
	Still sittin' easy on his mare,~~<br />~~		Still sittin' easy on his mare,
	Down, down 'e went, an' down an' down,~~<br />~~		Down, down 'e went, an' down an' down,
	Into the quarry yawnin' there.		Into the quarry yawnin' there.

	Some say it was two 'undred foot ;~~<br />~~		Some say it was two 'undred foot ;
	The bottom lay as black as ink.~~<br />~~		The bottom lay as black as ink.
	I guess they 'ad some ugly dreams,~~<br />~~		I guess they 'ad some ugly dreams,
	Who reined their 'orses on the brink.		Who reined their 'orses on the brink.

	'E'd only time for that one cry ;~~<br />~~		'E'd only time for that one cry ;
	''Ware 'oles! ' says 'e, an' saves all three.~~<br />~~		''Ware 'oles! ' says 'e, an' saves all three.
	There may be better deaths to die,~~<br />~~		There may be better deaths to die,
	But that one's good enough for me.		But that one's good enough for me.

	For mind you, 'twas a sportin' end,~~<br />~~		For mind you, 'twas a sportin' end,
	Upon a right good sportin' day ;~~<br />~~		Upon a right good sportin' day ;
	They think a deal of 'im down 'ere,~~<br />~~		They think a deal of 'im down 'ere,
	That gent what came from London way.		That gent what came from London way.
			</poem>