Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-10
SONGS OF THE SEA.
Rhymes Which Cheer the Sailor as
He HauIs the larry Ropes.
SOME FAvORTTE OLD CRANTIES.
ROllicking 0hOruses Sang on Fast Atlantic
Clippers.
A BLENDING OF HUMoE AND PArHOs
ruurrrrn ron zee p1srArcH. /

All who have been within sound Of the
sea have doubtless heard, on fine bright
morning, the merry click of the windlass on
board of some outward-bound craft, while
there also came, occasionally heard, strains OF
song, peculiar in rythm and melody. This
curious song was a chanty, or sailors work
ing song. Merchant sailors do no heavy
woA without a song. Men-of-war's men
led in their motions by the shrin notes
of a whistle, or heave at the capstan ae-
companied by file and drum; but merchant
men ''lift up their voices and'-sing. Col
lections of these songs, as sung by sailors OF
all countries, have been made, and form
curious library of melody and nonsense.
For It is not so much the senee, but the
sound principally that Influences the men
in their choice of "Ohanty." These songs
are not without certain beauty of their
own, especially when sung to the ac-
compartment of the tempest and the
boom of the Topping sail. They
are usually the genuine compositions Of
sailors, and are frequently improvised in
part, at least. The melodies are recitatives,
which are sung by the best and usually the
loudest voice, while the chorus is taken up
BY all. suiting the labor to the rythm. They
are of various kinds, some being adapted to
the monotonous elank of the windlass or
pump-brake, others suited to the quick pulls
at toprail halliards or main sheet. Dana,
in ''Two Years Before the Mast" says, "a
song is as necessary to sailors as a fife and
drum to soldiers. They cannot pull in time,
or pull with will, without it." Some cap
tains say good chanty is worth an extra
hand.
Sailors have inherited this penchant for the
stimulating song. The Argonauts moved to
the sound Of Orpheus' Tyre, and the rowers in
the ancient galleys kept stroke to the strains
of the Keleusura. This was explained by
the whistle in the middle ages, which
usage remained to the navy, but merchant
sailors returned to the song. Boatmen are
noted for their use Of rowing songs in many
parts Of the world. Venetian gondoliers
formerly repeated whole passages OF Tasso's
poems, singing in alienation the glowing
verses. They still repeat parts of familiar
operas, but ''in Venice Tasso's echoes are
heard no more" 1mprovised verses to
some familiar melody are more commonly
used. Love songs are very popular with
them. Boat songs were and are still popu-
lar among the highlanders, whose pictur-
esQue lakes resound to the echoes OF the
stirring melodies. These were called
"Jorrams" and one is given in Scott's
Lady of the Lake. A favorite one is that
beginning:
"Row, vassals, row, for the pride Of the High
lands"
Another fine song is given in Blacks
Yachting romance, "White Wings" Its
burden is "Ho, 70, ClansnenP'
The keelnen Of the Tyne have many
cherished songs, of which the best known is
''Wsel May the Keel Row." The same is
true of the bargemen of the Loire, and other
French rivers. famous rowing song with
most of them being La Corsarienne." Nor
Is Venice the only Italian port where boat
mems songs are heard. They are exceed
ingly popular in Naples. and no visitor to
that charming port has failed to hear "Sauta
Lucia" barcarOlle, in the mouth Of every
fisherman and boatmaI.