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THE CANTERBURY |
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When the main-mast went away it gave a dismal stroke, And in the larboard-quarter a great hole thro' it broke, Whereby the sea came roaring which made our gun-room flow, And we rowl'd and we shoal'd in the Bay of Biscay, oh !
Then our fore-mast went away at four o'clock at night, Our men [were] in our fore-top, which put us in a fright, Poor souls we could not save them but overboard did go : They were lost with the mast in the Bay of Biscay, oh !
It being dark and dismal besides a dreadful night, One man upon the fore castle was killed out right, With a ring upon his finger in pieces broke also, There he lay till next day when we overboard him throw.
We stove our barge and long boat and hove them overboard, Because we had no tackle or else we might have lower'd. What with the sea roaring in which made our chests to flow, And we rowl'd and we shoal'd in the Bay of Biscay, oh !
We lay in that condition full seven or eight days, Till our furnace tumbled down, which put us in a maze For we could get no victuals dress'd as I am very sure, We did eat all raw meat till we came to Gibraltar.
As for our admiral and captain, they are stout hearts of gold, Besides our three lieutenants of courage stout and bold, And all our whole ship's company we made a gallant show, Altho' we were in despair in the Bay of Biscay, oh !
The storm being quite over we got up jury-masts, And steer'd away to Gibraltar, to which we came at last, And when we came to Gibraltar on shore the yawl did go, For to tell what befel in the Bay of Biscay, oh !
Within a day or two after we came into the mole. The people all came flocking down, our ship to behold : They said it was the strangest thing that ever they did know, We ne'er repine but drink wine and drown all woe.
As for oatmeal and peas, we ne'er got any of that :
Our purser H------s put 'em in his pocket to make his guts fat.
But when we did come home, boys, we paid him off his score, Tho' [he] knew 'twas our due, it help'd to increase [his store]. |
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