[3]There may be a few readers to whom it is necessary to point out that this first ballad of the “Mermaid” is an old song, here used as introduction to a second by me, which is of the same nature.
[3]
There may be a few readers to whom it is necessary to point out that this first ballad of the “Mermaid” is an old song, here used as introduction to a second by me, which is of the same nature.
THE MERMAN
Then another man said when that song was sung:
There are men like you and me,
Who will sometimes come ashore and get sprung,
Yet who live at the bottom of the sea.
For I myself knew one of that folk
(I believe he still lives and thrives),
And I’ll tell you the truth without any joke
How we saved one another’s blest lives.
I was walking one night in New York town,
And the moon shone bright and clear,
When I thought I heard a singular sound
That came from a board-yard near.
First was a groan of misery,
And then a scythe of pain;
And a voice which wailed: “Oh where is the Sea?
Which I never shall see again?”
And I thought that party must be cracked,
Or a little over the bay;
Because the water was not, in fact,
A half of a mile away.
So I looked that sufferin’ mortal up,
And found, sufficiently soon,
A man who looked like a perishin’ pup,
As he lay in the light of the moon.
And I said to him, “Matey, just confess
What all of this row’s about,
And what was it got you into this mess,
And how can I get you out?”
Then this man he opened his eyes so wide:
“No more do I ask of thee
Than to carry me down to the water’s side,
And chuck me right into the sea.”
And I says, “ ’Tis a singular thing to ask,
But I think it can be no sin,
And anyhow ’tis an easy task
To carry and pitch you in.”
So I picked that perishin’ person up,
And slewed him on my back,
And he wriggled and moved with many a flup
Like a codfish or a jack.
But when I had carried him half the way,
He seemed to be half-way done,
And when we had got ’longside of the bay,
I guessed that his life was gone.
But when he heard the water splash,
He opened his eyes—you bet!
And said: “If you only will make a dash—
Good Lord! there’s a chance for me yet!”
And when we came to the water’s edge,
I never a word did say,
But carried him right to the end of the Ledge,
And dumped him into the Bay.
And then he gin a yell of delight,
And then he warbled a tune,
As he swam about in the water bright,
All there in the light of the moon.
And he hollered to me his partin’ thanks,
And said: “I am outer my pain;
Good-bye! I’m off for the ’Foundland Banks;
Some day we shall meet again.”
Now when a year had passed I found
Myself in a Southern sea,
A-wrecked; for all on board were drowned,
And nobody saved but me.
And as I sat upon the turf,
And looked at the water blue,
A man came walking out of the surf,
And says to me: “How do you do?
“I think you don’t remember me,
Allow me to let you know
I’m the fellow that you threw into the sea—
In New York—a year ago.
“My home is down in the Ocean deep,
And sometimes—would you think?
I go ashore when men are asleep
To a tavern to take a drink.
“My mother was a mermaid fair,
She lived down in the sea;
And my father he was a Dutch sailór,
So it came that I am what I be.
“And I can walk about on land
Until my clothes are dry,
But that brings up to the end of my sand,
For then I must surely die:
“And my soul sail off for Doldrum Isle,
Unless some one pities my pain,
And carries me down where the waters bile,
And puts me in ’em again.
“One turn deserves another, ahoy!
And John must settle with Jack;
You treated me like a brother, old boy
And now I will pay you back.
“In this bag there is more than a thousand pound,
And I give it all to you:
In a Spanish galloon that money I found,
(It’s a thing which I frequently do).
“But in this place you’d be sure to spile,
So now I will give you a tip:
Just walk to the other side of this isle,
And there you will find a ship.
“You’ll find her there as sure as you’re born;
Her name is theClara Belle,
She sails for Havanna in the morn,
So, matey—fare-you-well!
“Farewell—for here I cannot bide.”
He turned his back to the shore,
And walked right into the risin’ tide,
And I never beheld him more.
So we never should doubt of a mystery,
There are lots of ’em round us still;
For nobody knows what’s down in the sea,
And nobody ever will.
Said Brown, “That story now goes home to me.
Folks say a witch, a wizard, and a Finn,
Are all jint partners in all deviltry,
The Devil himself of course bein’ counted in;
And of these Northern conjurers I can sing
A song if you will join me in the chorus.
First take your drinks—that is the prudent thing,
We never know in life what lies before us.”
Which having done, himself he did begin
The wondrous ballad of the “Wizard Finn.”
THE WIZARD FINN
As I suppose, you all have heard
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board,
I can tell you that is so.
I’ve sailed with one and I ought to know:
For it is true, upon my word,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
Eric Jansen was his name,
And from Christián’ he came;
A seemly man all for to see,
But devil a bit the man for me:
For it is true, as all have heard,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
From the hour he joined the ship,
All went wrong in all the trip;
’Twas nothing but swear and growl and groan,
And the weather was just the devil’s own:
You may reckon it all absurd,
But there’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
Our grub was spoiled from that first hour,
Except the vinegar all was sour;
All you heard was Lubber! and Liar!
And everything hot except the fire:
For it is true, as all accord,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
For as the doctors all do know,
A Finn has fins between each toe:
He is web-footed like a duck;
Which is the cause of his bad luck:
For it is true, as I averred,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
And when at last it got so bad,
That master and men were nigh gone mad,
A rummerin’ whisper did begin
That ’twas all along of this here Finn:
For it is true, and on re-córd
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
And the long and short of this debate
Was that one night our second mate,
Bein’ as mad as a man might be,
Pitched Eric Jansen into the sea:
For it is true, unless I’ve erred,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
When all at once around there came
Over the sea a greenish flame,
And the biggest whale I ever spied,
Rose up by Eric Jansen’s side:
For it is true, as you may’ve inferred,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
And the Finn he got upon the whale,
And off in the flame we saw them sail;
Hearing a song as they fell behind,
Like women singing with the wind:
For it is true, as all have concurred,
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
Off from the ship and off the shore,
And Eric Jansen we saw no more;
But from that hour, aboard that ship,
All went well for the rest of the trip:
For it is true, upon my word,
As you and I have often heard,
People may say it’s all absurd,
And yet it holds as I averred,
And bein’ a fact it’s on recórd,
Unless the best of men have erred,
As you may truly have inferred,
In which observers have concurred:
There’s no good luck with a Finn on board.
“That story of the Finn,” said one to Brown,
“Is of the kind which hev been salted down,
Which is the reason, I suppose, why you
Take such a lot of pains to prove it’s true.
When tales are c’rect in all their fitnesses,
There ain’t no need of forty witnesses,
Nor one at all I guess, but that’s enough;
Now listen to the song of ‘Charley Buff,’
Who always said, ‘I am a truthful man:’ ”
He polished off his drink and thus began:
CHARLEY BUFF
Oh Charley Buff was his parents’ joy,
And as he always told,
He went to sea as a cabin-boy
Before he was one year old.
Chorus.Now this is pretty bad,
But it’s nothin’ to what’s a-coming:
Yet Charley he was a truthful lad,
And never indulged in humming.
And this Charley Buff allays said to me:
“To lie I cannot afford,
For you know I hev got more truth in me
Than all of the rest on board.
“I have seen in the isle of Barriboo
Such high-sized coco-nuts,
That the natives used to split ’em in two
And use ’em to make their huts.
“I hev seen the Kanaka women
Foller a ship’n full sail,
A thousand miles a-swimmin’
For a bottle or a tenpenny nail.
“I hev seen the eggs of the toodly-wang;
It’s a bird in the Muldive Isles;
And when they hatch they burst with a bang
You can hear five hundred miles.
“From a Cariboo king named Jocko,
A man of cheerful life,
For only a fid of tobacco
I bought me a beautiful wife.
“One night she was gone, by gum!
But as soon as ever I missed her,
From the king for a glass of rum
I bought her younger sister.
“One evening for their tea
Her family broiled and ate her;
‘Never mind!’ says the king to me,
‘Just go and pick out a better.’ ”
Chorus.Now this is pretty bad,
Yet it’s nothin’ to what’s a-coming;
But I hear the old man a bawlin’ like mad,
So I guess I will stop my humming.
“Wal,” answered Brown, “that comes it rather strong.
Now if you like I’ll sing a pirate’s song
Of which you all have heard at times a bit;
I’ve jined ’em into one to make ’em fit,
Like beads upon a string, altho’ I fear
It’s partly pirate and part mutineer.”
BOLD ROBIN ROVER
Bold Robin Rover
Said to his crew:
“Up with the black flag
And down with the blue!
Up with the Black Boy!
All men to show,
Over the water
And off let us go!”
A man-of-war he hailed us:
“Come under my lee!”
“See you damned,” said the pirate,
“For I’d rather sink at sea,
In the blue water
Far out and free,
Cruising down on the shore
By the coast of Barbary.”
We met theFlying Dutchman,
By midnight he came,
His hull was all of hell fire,
His sails were all o’ flame;
Fire on the main-top,
Fire on the bow,
Fire on the gun-deck,
Fire down below!
Four-and-twenty dead men,
Those were the crew,
The devil on the bowsprit
Fiddled as she flew.
We gave her a broadside
Right in the dip,
Just like a candle,
Out went the ship.
We met a gallant vessel
A-sailing on the sea,
For mercy, for mercy,
For mercy, she did plea;
But the mercy we gave her
We sunk her in the sea;
Cruising down on the shore
By the coast of Barbary,
Four-and-twenty Spaniards,
Mighty men of rank,
With their golden ladies
Had to walk the plank,
Over the gunwale
Into the sea,
Cruising down on the shore,
By the coast of Barbary.
Oh devil take the captain!
And devil take the ship!
And devil take the cargo!
And devil take the trip!
And devil take the bo’su’n!
And devil take his call!
And devil take the doctor!
And devil take ’em all!
Over the quarter,
Over the sail,
Into the water,
Dead as a nail,
Slung like a biscuit,
Hot as a coal,
Where the sharks may take the body,
And the devil take the soul!
Then spoke Grim Sam of Jersey, “As we’ve heard
A mermaid or a witch is the same bird,
But of a different feather, so a pirate,
And slaver, is all one for guards to fire at,
For pirates kill and plunder all they catch,
And slavers at the same are just their match;
There ain’t no special difference” (it was said
That Sam himself well knew the Guinea trade,
And half-way to the devil had sent his soul
By running into Cuba “sacks of coal”)—
And then he sang to us right merrily
A slaver’s song, which was not writ by me.
TIME FOR US TO GO
With sails let fall and sheeted home, and clear of the ground were we,We passed the bank, stood round the light, and sailed away to sea;The wind was fair and the coast was clear, and the brig was noways slow,For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.Time for us to go,Time for us to go,For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.
With sails let fall and sheeted home, and clear of the ground were we,We passed the bank, stood round the light, and sailed away to sea;The wind was fair and the coast was clear, and the brig was noways slow,For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.Time for us to go,Time for us to go,For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.
With sails let fall and sheeted home, and clear of the ground were we,
We passed the bank, stood round the light, and sailed away to sea;
The wind was fair and the coast was clear, and the brig was noways slow,
For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.
Time for us to go,
Time for us to go,
For she was built in Baltimore, and ’twas time for us to go.
A quick run to the West we had, and when we made the Bight,We kept the offing all day long, and crossed the bar at night.Six hundred niggers in the hold, and seventy we did stow,And when we’d clapped the hatches on, ’twas time for us to go.
A quick run to the West we had, and when we made the Bight,We kept the offing all day long, and crossed the bar at night.Six hundred niggers in the hold, and seventy we did stow,And when we’d clapped the hatches on, ’twas time for us to go.
A quick run to the West we had, and when we made the Bight,
We kept the offing all day long, and crossed the bar at night.
Six hundred niggers in the hold, and seventy we did stow,
And when we’d clapped the hatches on, ’twas time for us to go.
We hadn’t been three days at sea before we saw a sail,So we clapped on every inch she’d stand, although it blew a gale,And we walked along full fourteen knots, for the barkie she did know,As well as ever a soul on board, ’twas time for us to go.
We hadn’t been three days at sea before we saw a sail,So we clapped on every inch she’d stand, although it blew a gale,And we walked along full fourteen knots, for the barkie she did know,As well as ever a soul on board, ’twas time for us to go.
We hadn’t been three days at sea before we saw a sail,
So we clapped on every inch she’d stand, although it blew a gale,
And we walked along full fourteen knots, for the barkie she did know,
As well as ever a soul on board, ’twas time for us to go.
We carried away the royal yards, and the stun’sle boom was gone,Says the skipper, “They may go or stand; I’m darned if I don’t crook on.So the weather braces we’ll round in, and the trys’le set also,And we’ll keep the brig three p’ints away, for it’s time for us to go.”
We carried away the royal yards, and the stun’sle boom was gone,Says the skipper, “They may go or stand; I’m darned if I don’t crook on.So the weather braces we’ll round in, and the trys’le set also,And we’ll keep the brig three p’ints away, for it’s time for us to go.”
We carried away the royal yards, and the stun’sle boom was gone,
Says the skipper, “They may go or stand; I’m darned if I don’t crook on.
So the weather braces we’ll round in, and the trys’le set also,
And we’ll keep the brig three p’ints away, for it’s time for us to go.”
Oh yard-arm under she did plunge in the trough of the deep seas,And her masts they thrashed about like whips as she bowled before the breeze,And every yard did buckle up like to a bending bow,But her spars were tough as whalebone, and ’twas time for us to go.
Oh yard-arm under she did plunge in the trough of the deep seas,And her masts they thrashed about like whips as she bowled before the breeze,And every yard did buckle up like to a bending bow,But her spars were tough as whalebone, and ’twas time for us to go.
Oh yard-arm under she did plunge in the trough of the deep seas,
And her masts they thrashed about like whips as she bowled before the breeze,
And every yard did buckle up like to a bending bow,
But her spars were tough as whalebone, and ’twas time for us to go.
We dropped the cruiser in the night, and our cargo landed we,And ashore we went, with our pockets full of dollars, on the spree.And when the liquor it is out, and the locker it is low,Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.Time for us to go,Time for us to go,Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.
We dropped the cruiser in the night, and our cargo landed we,And ashore we went, with our pockets full of dollars, on the spree.And when the liquor it is out, and the locker it is low,Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.Time for us to go,Time for us to go,Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.
We dropped the cruiser in the night, and our cargo landed we,
And ashore we went, with our pockets full of dollars, on the spree.
And when the liquor it is out, and the locker it is low,
Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.
Time for us to go,
Time for us to go,
Then to sea again, in the ebony trade, ’twill be time for us to go.
“Wall,” said Mose Brown, “I ’low that that escapeFrom the derned cruiser was a blame close shave,And I myself once in as bad a scrapeWas lifted out by one big thumping waveOn the same line of coast—or thereabout,Since it was off the Bight—that’s old Benin—Where as the sayin’ is, ‘but one goes outOf all a hundred strangers who go in.’It ain’t so healthy quite—to be exact—As ’tis in Colorado high and dry,Where they send invalids—it is a fact—Off to some other country for to die;Excuse me, gents, for keepin’ you so long,Now I’ll proceed to let you hev my song.”
“Wall,” said Mose Brown, “I ’low that that escapeFrom the derned cruiser was a blame close shave,And I myself once in as bad a scrapeWas lifted out by one big thumping waveOn the same line of coast—or thereabout,Since it was off the Bight—that’s old Benin—Where as the sayin’ is, ‘but one goes outOf all a hundred strangers who go in.’It ain’t so healthy quite—to be exact—As ’tis in Colorado high and dry,Where they send invalids—it is a fact—Off to some other country for to die;Excuse me, gents, for keepin’ you so long,Now I’ll proceed to let you hev my song.”
“Wall,” said Mose Brown, “I ’low that that escape
From the derned cruiser was a blame close shave,
And I myself once in as bad a scrape
Was lifted out by one big thumping wave
On the same line of coast—or thereabout,
Since it was off the Bight—that’s old Benin—
Where as the sayin’ is, ‘but one goes out
Of all a hundred strangers who go in.’
It ain’t so healthy quite—to be exact—
As ’tis in Colorado high and dry,
Where they send invalids—it is a fact—
Off to some other country for to die;
Excuse me, gents, for keepin’ you so long,
Now I’ll proceed to let you hev my song.”
ROLLING OVER[4]
It was upon a Boston brig, and that was in the Fall,Our barky she was light as a gig, for our lading was but small;And it was in the American War as we were sailing thus,When we saw a steamer from afar, and knew she was after us.Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.The roaring waves they came,Like water into fire all gone,For the sea was all of a flame.
It was upon a Boston brig, and that was in the Fall,Our barky she was light as a gig, for our lading was but small;And it was in the American War as we were sailing thus,When we saw a steamer from afar, and knew she was after us.Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.The roaring waves they came,Like water into fire all gone,For the sea was all of a flame.
It was upon a Boston brig, and that was in the Fall,
Our barky she was light as a gig, for our lading was but small;
And it was in the American War as we were sailing thus,
When we saw a steamer from afar, and knew she was after us.
Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.
The roaring waves they came,
Like water into fire all gone,
For the sea was all of a flame.
Now I have often seen by dark the sea a-burning bright,But nothing did I yet remark like what it was that night,And the wake we left behind us as we sailed for many an hour,Was like a fiery serpent who was chasing to devour.
Now I have often seen by dark the sea a-burning bright,But nothing did I yet remark like what it was that night,And the wake we left behind us as we sailed for many an hour,Was like a fiery serpent who was chasing to devour.
Now I have often seen by dark the sea a-burning bright,
But nothing did I yet remark like what it was that night,
And the wake we left behind us as we sailed for many an hour,
Was like a fiery serpent who was chasing to devour.
And then the captain made a speech to us a-standing round,And said: “ ’Fore I’ll be taken I’ll be damned if I don’t be drowned;Yet if you will be plucky, men, and likewise well behaved,We’ve got one chance in a thousand yet, but what we may be saved.
And then the captain made a speech to us a-standing round,And said: “ ’Fore I’ll be taken I’ll be damned if I don’t be drowned;Yet if you will be plucky, men, and likewise well behaved,We’ve got one chance in a thousand yet, but what we may be saved.
And then the captain made a speech to us a-standing round,
And said: “ ’Fore I’ll be taken I’ll be damned if I don’t be drowned;
Yet if you will be plucky, men, and likewise well behaved,
We’ve got one chance in a thousand yet, but what we may be saved.
“About ten miles to leeward there lies the Guinea land,And for fifty miles before it clear a narrow bar of sand;And if we find a deepish place—as such of them there are—It just is barely possible that we may clear the bar.”
“About ten miles to leeward there lies the Guinea land,And for fifty miles before it clear a narrow bar of sand;And if we find a deepish place—as such of them there are—It just is barely possible that we may clear the bar.”
“About ten miles to leeward there lies the Guinea land,
And for fifty miles before it clear a narrow bar of sand;
And if we find a deepish place—as such of them there are—
It just is barely possible that we may clear the bar.”
Then we gave three cheers for our old man because we liked his dash,And allowed ere we’d go to prison that we all would go to smash;So then we set the wheel up with the steamer coming down,And never a man did care a damn if he was going to drown.
Then we gave three cheers for our old man because we liked his dash,And allowed ere we’d go to prison that we all would go to smash;So then we set the wheel up with the steamer coming down,And never a man did care a damn if he was going to drown.
Then we gave three cheers for our old man because we liked his dash,
And allowed ere we’d go to prison that we all would go to smash;
So then we set the wheel up with the steamer coming down,
And never a man did care a damn if he was going to drown.
Now as we came unto the bar I happened to remarkA spot among the waves on which the water it was dark;And I showed it to the captain, who saw the place was fit,And hollered to the helmsman to steer her straight for it.
Now as we came unto the bar I happened to remarkA spot among the waves on which the water it was dark;And I showed it to the captain, who saw the place was fit,And hollered to the helmsman to steer her straight for it.
Now as we came unto the bar I happened to remark
A spot among the waves on which the water it was dark;
And I showed it to the captain, who saw the place was fit,
And hollered to the helmsman to steer her straight for it.
Now just as we were working to this very closest shave,There came by Heaven’s mercy a tremendous booming wave,Which gave the barky such a lift, thanks to our lucky star,That though we felt the bottom scrape—by God we crossed the bar!
Now just as we were working to this very closest shave,There came by Heaven’s mercy a tremendous booming wave,Which gave the barky such a lift, thanks to our lucky star,That though we felt the bottom scrape—by God we crossed the bar!
Now just as we were working to this very closest shave,
There came by Heaven’s mercy a tremendous booming wave,
Which gave the barky such a lift, thanks to our lucky star,
That though we felt the bottom scrape—by God we crossed the bar!
And as we came in the still water we gave three roaring cheers,For the rebel he was locked outside—of him we had no fears;But I never shall forget until I come unto my grave,How we were saved on the Guinea coast by the sea-light and the wave.Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.The roaring waves they came,Like water into fire all gone,For the sea was all of a flame.
And as we came in the still water we gave three roaring cheers,For the rebel he was locked outside—of him we had no fears;But I never shall forget until I come unto my grave,How we were saved on the Guinea coast by the sea-light and the wave.Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.The roaring waves they came,Like water into fire all gone,For the sea was all of a flame.
And as we came in the still water we gave three roaring cheers,
For the rebel he was locked outside—of him we had no fears;
But I never shall forget until I come unto my grave,
How we were saved on the Guinea coast by the sea-light and the wave.
Chorus.Rolling over, rolling over, rolling on.
The roaring waves they came,
Like water into fire all gone,
For the sea was all of a flame.
Quoth Nat of Stonington, “Thatisa bruiser,And yet I know darn’d well it could be doneWith the third wave—but talking of a cruiser,I know a song—’tis just a little one—But first I would observe that amuskeeterIs not an insect, for as you should knowThe term’s applied unto a different creeter,Which sails about the Gulf of Mexico.Sometimes the thing is called aguard-accoster,[5]And when one did accost us with a gun,Out of the way we ginerally tost her;It ain’t hard work to make a greaser run.Well, that’ll do. We got a song before us,And them as likes may holler in the chorus.”
Quoth Nat of Stonington, “Thatisa bruiser,And yet I know darn’d well it could be doneWith the third wave—but talking of a cruiser,I know a song—’tis just a little one—But first I would observe that amuskeeterIs not an insect, for as you should knowThe term’s applied unto a different creeter,Which sails about the Gulf of Mexico.Sometimes the thing is called aguard-accoster,[5]And when one did accost us with a gun,Out of the way we ginerally tost her;It ain’t hard work to make a greaser run.Well, that’ll do. We got a song before us,And them as likes may holler in the chorus.”
Quoth Nat of Stonington, “Thatisa bruiser,
And yet I know darn’d well it could be done
With the third wave—but talking of a cruiser,
I know a song—’tis just a little one—
But first I would observe that amuskeeter
Is not an insect, for as you should know
The term’s applied unto a different creeter,
Which sails about the Gulf of Mexico.
Sometimes the thing is called aguard-accoster,[5]
And when one did accost us with a gun,
Out of the way we ginerally tost her;
It ain’t hard work to make a greaser run.
Well, that’ll do. We got a song before us,
And them as likes may holler in the chorus.”
[4]This ballad was very much revised, corrected, turned over, and re-turned, by sundry old sailors, chief among whom was the ancient mariner, Captain Stead. Almost the same could be said of all these songs, but this one was specially “cut up and salted down for sea use.”
[4]
This ballad was very much revised, corrected, turned over, and re-turned, by sundry old sailors, chief among whom was the ancient mariner, Captain Stead. Almost the same could be said of all these songs, but this one was specially “cut up and salted down for sea use.”
[5]Guarda Costa.
[5]
Guarda Costa.