"A soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers,
There was lack of woman's nursing, there was dearth of woman's tears;
But a comrade stood beside him, and he took that comrade's hand
And he said: “I shall never see my own, my native land.”..."See in text(The Open Boat)
These are the opening lines from "Bingen on the Rhine," a poem by Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton (1808-1877) that was first published in 1867. The title refers to the town of Bingen, Germany, the birthplace of the dying soldier, which is located on the Rhine River.
"as if he were of Sevres..."See in text(The Open Boat)
“Sevres” is an allusion or reference to a kind of fine porcelain made in Sevres, France. The allusion suggests how carefully the oiler and the correspondent change places in the boat, as if they were made of porcelain and could easily shatter.
"the Mosquito Inlet Light..."See in text(The Open Boat)
“Mosquito Inlet Light” is an allusion to the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet, now known as Ponce de Leon Inlet. Located on the eastern coast of central Florida, the lighthouse was constructed in 1887.
