This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 Excerpt: ... all of dese droubles vill peen ofer den; Dey vill vear a vhite shirt vront inshted off a bib, "Cnd vouldn't got tucked" oop at nighdt in dcir crib--Tell! Tell! ven I'm feeple und in life's declino, May mine oldt age pe cheered py dot baby off mine. THE LEADSMAN'S SONG. On Boabd U. S. Bakk "Voltigeitb." From Harpers' ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1877 Excerpt: ... all of dese droubles vill peen ofer den; Dey vill vear a vhite shirt vront inshted off a bib, "Cnd vouldn't got tucked" oop at nighdt in dcir crib--Tell! Tell! ven I'm feeple und in life's declino, May mine oldt age pe cheered py dot baby off mine. THE LEADSMAN'S SONG. On Boabd U. S. Bakk "Voltigeitb." From Harpers' Magazine. 'Twas a seaman bold on the ship's lee side, When the green waves rollicked far and wide--When keen winds whistled through ragged sails "With a dreary gamut of shrieks and wails--" When cloudy masses obscured the sun "With a tangled vapor, dark and dun--When the stout ship reeled with the tempest's blows, And the voice of prayer 'mid the storm arose As the jagged line of the dread lee-shore Came dim to herald the breakers' roar!--'Twas then that the seaman swung the lead With a circling sweep round his rain-beat head, And launching it down in the troubled sea, Sang loudly and clear this song to me: I. "Quarter less four!--Quarter less four! Hark! how the breakers roar a-lee, Chanting aloud, in devilish glee, Chorusing ever, 'One ship more!' Wrecks ashore I can plainly see; Corpses are lying there--corpses four; There, alack! we shall shortly be--Three fathoms only!--Quarter less three! II. Three and a half! It deepens at last! Quarter less four! There's a channel here, Courage, pilot, and take good cheer. Five!--the danger is overpast! Six!--huzza! for it deepens fast. Quarter less eight!--Quarter less eight! Now may the breakers lie and wait, Dragging the shoals with their foamy net: Others may meet with the sailor's fate, We shall be snared--not yet, not yet! Nine fathoms clear!--Nine and a half! Now, in sooth, we can bravely laugh; For the distant breakers, I wot, confess, "With their sul...
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