View source for 'Ware Holes!

'' '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!<br />
An' taken in a sportin' way.<br />
Mind you, I wasn't there to see ;<br />
I only tell you what they say.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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




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