Here is John Masefield himself reading. It's in the second half of the Sea Fever track at 1.08 mins in
http://www.deezer.com/track/33600551
To hear it you will need a deezer account, but it's easy to sign up for one.

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir,
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,.
With a cargo of ivory,
And apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.

Stately Spanish galleon coming from the Isthmus,
Dipping through the Tropics by the palm-green shores,
With a cargo of diamonds,
Emeralds, amythysts,
Topazes, and cinnamon, and gold moidores.

Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack,
Butting through the Channel in the mad March days,
With a cargo of Tyne coal,
Road-rails, pig-lead,
Firewood, iron-ware, and cheap tin trays.