He had bought a large map representing the sea,
   Without the least vestige of land:
And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be
   A map they could all understand.

“What’s the good of Mercator’s North Poles and Equators,
   Tropics, Zones, and Meridian Lines?”
So the Bellman would cry: and the crew would reply,
   “They are merely conventional signs!

“Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes!
   But we’ve got our brave Captain to thank”

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