Meet the Komats – A Eulogy in Doggerel (continued)
Well working forward, back end first, the one looking ready for the hearse,
The one in white, his legs all queer, the one who never leaves second gear,
That one’s JOE, seven years he’s seen but still in spirit is he keen.
Yet I fear his working life is done, sledging now really ain’t much fun.
He can talk for hours and he can sing, but he draws the line at a Highland Fling.
His arch enemy next we meet, the one in black with sore feet,
Or so his act is supposed to show as he hobbles along through the snow.
Yet when the going gets pretty tough ACHILLES is made of the right stuff.
An age old feud there is you’ll find twixt this back pair, it’s a bit of a bind,
For to separate them is hard it’s true and by the time it’s done so are you.
Next one up ahead along the track with coat of white and head of black
Answers to ASTRO now and again and has an inherent distrust of men.
Thus it’s said by some he’s thick and yet you know it’s all a trick.
When it comes to fights he’s all alone, he nips in and out picking the bone.
He rarely starts them but likes to be there, he doesn’t want to miss out, wants his share.
His nutty rarely leaves him replete and given chance his harness he’ll eat,
All but the ring so that’s all right, you can use it again later that night.
The fact remains that but for him the amount of load you’d have to trim
For his trace is rarely slack as he forges ahead up the track.
And next in line, a wicked pair, for SNAP and CRACKLE find we there.
CRACKLE is the other motive force while his brother sometimes makes you hoarse.
CRACKLE’s black with a grinning face – feel the sledge shift as he hits the trace.
His brother SNAP, also grinning and black, has a band of white across his back.
He pulls his share, this I’ll say, though he likes to dawdle on the way.
He’ll pull better is he’s persuaded on cowcatcher by you and thumper aided.
A soft friendly pair, towards you, but always at odds with rest of the crew.
If there’s a noise during the night just shout CRACKLE, you’ll probably be right.
He likes to stir up trouble behind and before for I’m afraid his neighbours he doesn’t adore.
He’s the heaviest dog and with brother to aid thinks he’s on a winner so he’s not afraid.
We find more brothers next in line, AGATE and JASPER with coats quite fine.
JASPER’s the darker, also the worker, AGATE’s golden and not really a shirker.
He’s not very heavy and soon gets bored, likes to admire the view along the road.
On the cowcatcher he works very well – to put it crudely, he goes like hell.
You’ll find them both keen, that is for a fight, odds of two to one are just about right.
Snap and Crackle are usually their choice though they’ve nothing against any of the boys.
JASPER’s excitable and chews the odd trace, but when it comes to grovelling AGATE’s the ace.
Somewhat neurotic, frightened of thumping, he lies down squealing, his heart jumping.
But both are friendly, not really bad, and to meet we were usually glad.
Well that’s seven done and two to go – now the ladies take over the show.
First there’s HONEY a thin gangling bitch, husky or greyhound, I’m not sure which.
She’s just skin and bone, no meat at all, not really much use when there’s a load to haul,
But a faithful pet when to a station you go. At eating her nutty she really is slow
And oft it’s pinched by a hungry hound; so far you might say she should have been drowned.
Probably so but since she’s still here her only use could be as a leader I fear.
And so she’s been run up front for a while to try and pick up some tips and perhaps some style.
But she’s still a bit silly, stupid I’ll say; perhaps you’d be better to give her away.
Last but not least, apart from in weight, the leader we meet, she’s really a treat.
AMBER’s her name and her colour too, she’s lively and friendly, a pleasure to view.
Even tempered and loving, a magnificent bitch, as a leader she’s great, there’s rarely a hitch.
But she’ll chew her harness, chew not eat, it’s easy to patch, she keeps it neat.
Nymphomaniac’s really her calling and her preference is drivers, isn’t it appalling?
Sister to Jasper and Agate you know, these three ‘Tailwaggers’ put on a good show,
Just call one of their names, it’s funny to see, the tails start waving, one, two and three.
Well that’s just about it, nine hounds in all, between them the loads they contrive to haul.
They all pull their share, I think this is true, but the shares are unequal as I’ve tried to construe.
Since the previous lines of this I writ the picture’s altered a little bit.
JOE’s now retired, to ‘F’ he’s bound, also accompanied by Miss Greyhound.
Their places are filled by younger blood, JOE’s by SOOPSEY, a little hood.
A blubbery mess, a horrible sight, this was SOOPSEY in daylight bright.
By aeroplane to the field he came but had bad luck at this new game.
A run of hard days burning up the road and he came back as part of the load.
Reported however as a prospect good and bound to be better than Honey The Dud.
But given more months, pounds and a break, he could be as useful as his namesake.
FRANKIE for HONEY is the other change; little write for to me she’s strange.
And now let me say, before I depart, that I leave them behind, a pain in my heart.
But greater is the pain for women and ale and so part we must and away I’ll sail,
Leaving them to seek a driver new, and this my friend I say to you :
I hope you will, as I have done, find them great fun in the year to come.
Neil Marsden, Surveyor, Stonington Island, 1965 & 1966