Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-11-03

COFFIN SHIPS,
BY ARTHUR NATTHISON.

In the great London Parlyinent House,
lads,
They're a talkin' about us Jack Tars;
Bout us, and the ships as we sail in
Bolts, tlmbers, sail, riggin', and spars.
An it's pretty nigh time as they did talk,
Them big wigs as settles it all
Tho wish we could tell 'em what ne
In that Lingo ship, Westminster Hall
Dye know what they call them old
hulks lads,
AS all on us know, and all curse?
Coffin ships" is the name as they gives
'em,
An | don't want to give 'em a worse.
For, mates, we might just as we'll all be
buried,
AS sail in them thi ribbed old craft,
AS amt got sound timber in 'em,
From the hold to the mast, fore and aft.
I shipp'd in coffin myself, lads,
From port in The North, years a 20;
An back'd out-'Sail you must!' says
the owner;
eff you don't man, to prison you go.'
/ went as ifait 'ad bin to the gallows;
But what can poor fellow doo
Then-liefer than mould in prison,
A true salt 'ud be drown'd in the blue
You, most on you, know'd young Bill
Severn
The r,iest blue jacket ahoat;
He was one OF the crew of that ship, lads
"Ship" lit warnt strong enough for a
boat!
Her bolts wasn't fit for a hen-coop,
She'd swamped in breeze on the
Tyne;
Though she look'd trim and seaworthy
too, lads,
And as bold as ship O the line.
Look'd so spick, and SO span, and so new,
lads,
They insur'd her for double her worth !;
But them innocent chaps as insure ships
Thinks they're safer at seathan on earth !.
In week comes a gale as we'd laugh at
In the stout ship as holds us all now;
1t stove that in, as if the Great Eastern
Had struck her 'midships with her PROV.
She went down, lads, as quick an as easy
AS bucket with holes in a pool
Or as them little cockboats, all paper,
The land-sailor boys make at school.
When the day broke, there me and Bill
Severn
Lay floating about on the mast,
Of the short muster roll of the living,
In that doomed barque, that man-traP,
the last.
Poor shipmate! he was to bin married,
When the vessel come back, that same
spring!
An she'd Civ him, to wear for her sake,
lads,
The half of little gold ring!
An there he lay dying afore me,
For he'd hurt h.sself bad in the wreck
An he takes off his half of the ring, mates,
AS always hung round his brown neck.
And his big hand, now weak as babby's
Tremblin' PLACID the gold token in mine :
''Carry this-to Maryland tell"
Quick and dead were alone on the brine!
If the owner, that minute, before me,
Had stood zvftya his throat near my hand!
But there-thank the Lord as he didn't;
Thank the Lord, | amt mark'd with
his brand
Twas picked up, getting on tow'rds night
fall,
By a lugger bound out from South
Wales;
But the rest of the crew.in that "Cofin' =
They can't-poor fellows-tell tales!
Mates, I've spun this yard, often and often /;
Widows, mothers, and sweethearts have
cried;
But in vain to make Old England listen,
England's sea sons and daughters have
tried
Coffin ships they yet sailo'er the waters !;
Death sneaks in his saltwater den!
Ship Ownership Knockers. calls EN-,
And sea-devil slayers of men!
But they're talking about US in London,
England's big heart, at last, mates, is
stirred
And though we can't speak for ourselves,
lad,
Them as does talk, thank God! 4viH be
heard
London Hornet.