These pennons were managed by halyards; and after lighting his prince's pipe, it was little Vee-Vee's part to run them up toward the mast-head, or mouthpiece, in token that his lord was fairly under weigh.
But Babbalanja's was of a different sort; an immense, black, serpentine stem of ebony, coiling this way and that, in endless convolutions, like an anaconda round a traveler in Brazil.

Smoking this hydra, Babbalanja looked as if playing upon the trombone.
Next, gentle Yoomy's.

Its stem, a slender golden reed, like musical Pan's; its bowl very merry with tassels.
Lastly, old Mohi the chronicler's.

Its Death's-head bowl forming its latter end, continually reminding him of his own.

Its shank was an ostrich's leg, some feathers still waving nigh the mouth-piece.
"Here, Vee-Vee! fill me up again," cried Media, through the blue vapors sweeping round his great gonfalon, like plumed Marshal Ney, waving his baton in the smoke of Waterloo; or thrice gallant Anglesea, crossing his wooden eg mid the reek and rack of the Apsley House banquet.
Vee-Vee obeyed; and quickly, like a howitzer, the pipe-owl was reloaded to the muzzle, and King Media smoked on.
"Ah! this is pleasant indeed," he cried.