The Republican journal., 1881-02-24
The Wreck OF the "Indlan Chief"

Outward bound in the Indian Chief, with skipper,
and pilot. a Northern man,
Thirty all told from the Yorkshire coast, We sailed
for the Channel, to make Japan
lcilv cold from the nor nor east, the wind like an
arrow wen: whstlng by:
The stars stood sharp by frozen moon and the
moon stared white in a frosty sky;
And the skipper he cried, as we changed the watch
Keep good lookout-do you understand
We must strain our eyes for the bright Knock light
and clear. the surf of the Goodwin Sand
I've sailed a fouler night my lads but many a
vessel has come to grief,
In spite Of the light of the kentish Knock Still,
here's good luck to the Indian Chief"
1t seemed strange that starlit sky should look
calm on a seething sea;
And a crueer wind never shivered the skin, or
made the mast like bending tree
were well within sight of the Ramsgate Pier, and
our course set clear Of the kentish Knock,
| When the ship gave a shy like frightened horse.
and then came crash and asickening shock ::
We knew what it meant when, without any fuss.
the skipper and pilot folded hands,
And the rockets went up IN the pitlless sky-we
had struck on the bar of the Goodwin Sands !
" hat was the of the compass now or sail or
rudder No treacherous reef
Could ever imprson with tirmer grip than the sands
that swallowed the Indian Chief,
1t didn't take long for the end TO come, when the
waves washed savagely over our deck,
SO we IlghteQ q mare. as a desperate cHdHce, 10
guide brave men to our hopeless wreck,
The pilot, the skipper. his brother the mate, and
the thirty odd souls in a desperate plight.
Crept into the masts in the searching cold looking
death in the face on New Years night
One by one the masts gave way they dropped
like birds from frozen tree
W hen the skipper, who clung to his brother the
mate sang out Thank God There's the life
boat See :"
We thought him mad with his fingers stretched to
a distant Speck. like a floating leaf
" lis branch Of olive :" the pilot cried, land the
message is hope for the Indian Chief
Lashed to their oars, in the binding storm. out
they had come i'll steamers wake
Ralnsgate men, with never a care for a sailors
death. for a sailors sake.
Out there followed from Clacton coast, Aldborough.
Harwlch. score OF hands,
When the tidiugs travelled. AN English snip is
breaking her back upon Goodwin Sands.
Twas race for life. and the Bradford won But
when the boat from the tug was cast,
| The sea stood in front of the Ramsgate men, as
they heard the shrleks from the sinking mast.
Shouts Of succor across the wave and cries of
agony past belief;
What is the use of liteboat manned, when the
sea has prize in the Indian Chlett
The skipper lay dead by his brother the mate with
a smile on his face for the wife at home,
And the morning broke to the moan, How long =
and the endless cry, VIII the lifeboat come 2
But the evening closed on a conquered sea, and
masts where never q sailor clings;
And they run to the end OF the Kamsgate Pier, to
see the prize that the liteboat brings
1t isn't money. or gold that's paid the terrible debt
OF the enemy sea
But flesh and blood Il d shpwrecked crew is a
richer reward you'll al agree
Many ship as the year rolls on. with skipper and
pilot and faithful hands,
" Ill sail from home on winter sea. and DIRT 70