Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-02-08
Homeward Bound to Liverpool

sailing ship has bcen some weeks at
anchor in n tropical harhor Tho cargo has
hoo1 discharged and tho hold is now filed
With rum, sugar and moasscs. Tomorrow is
the sailing dav. and long before dawn the
crew mustered on the forccastlc head,
whore they man the windass brakes -
haavo I'm the slack Of the mooring chain.
The old cook has been called for, sparks
are nving from his galley smokoetack and
in n little while got your coffee boys" is
the welcome order from the boatswain.
ha the moornE chain Is coming aboard
some ono starts windlaSs chantv. Per-
haps "Chanandoah sally Brown" over
the plains of Mexico ana across the bav
over the hills the echo Of the refrain Of the
rharty Is heard When N" ChantY Home
ward Round" is started there may not be a
man who Is n citizen Of that particular port
10 which the shin Is about to sail neverthe-
less it Is y home port for the ship, and
upou arrival there. whether It hc Liverpool
or London. New York Ruston or some
other port. MI hands aboard realize II Is TO
be the end of their service on this particular
shin. M moneys coming to them will he
theirs when the ship arrives home, theirs
to do with as they please free from ship
restrain; they viii revel In reckless lives.
Tho click. click, click Of the windlass pawl
is clearly heard, the windass brakes arc In
motion. up one side and down the other they
hea,p and heavc and bring in the mooring
chain. II is then IN" ch"rty "fIomeward
Bound" stirs every sailor &" his depths.
n2msGsr1 GGgnd yd to SYrDso wa DsoaaE 'Gwn far.
you we'll.
IomcTar4 bound Win sugar and rum -,
bound.
lie will continue the chanty and sing his
farewell 10 the girls Of his acquaintance in
this particular port
our anchors a-woish and our sails they ar" set.
Ana the girls We are leaving. We leave with regret.
80 Stormy Is Dead!'
Then there are short drag chantics where
in the men give one strong pull at the last
word Of the refrain. II is sweating -up
chanty, Haul Away Jo." Hold the Bow
line" and Johnny Bowler to get an inch
more on n taut rope such rs swcatnr-up
null on a topsail sheet. The chanty man
leads off. "po My johnny Bowkcr. Come
Rock and Roll Me over" Refrain, "Do, My
Johnny Bowker. DO" At the last word
"do" every ounce of weight is thrown into
the pull. During gale the ship is apt to
leak for the strain is severe. The pumps
are now manned, a tail rope Is attached to
the pump handles, 80 that all hands are en-
ahed to work the pumps Then the chanty
man sings his chanty. II may bc only One
More Day" or "Old Storm Along" which is
doeful song, with "A tune more mourniul
than the words
q stormy he is dead and ho is gone,
Refrain; To my. wHy-H storm lon-
. stormy Is dead, he viii storm no more,
Then he continues to sing of the storm
that IL passing away.
We will dig his grave with silver spade and
lower him down with golden chain,
. stormy IL dead ana gone to rest. of all the
sailors h" was b"st.
There is a chanty which Is sung up al0ft
II has been blowing hard and both watches
of the crew are stretched out on the main
yard to gather up and secure the manSa
| The canvas is wet, the night is dark. the
| men are struggling with the belled-out sail
| It is necessary that they be guided, SO that
| they Will grip the canvas and pull together
| and so smother il on the yard. At such a
time, above the roaring. bowling Winds the
voice of the bucco second mate is heard
| lie il leading Off on his chanty. The men
now hold their grip waiting for the time to
| pull together. They are listening to the
song of the second mate as he sings about
| Faddy Doyle and waiting for the time to
enter into the last word of the refrain when
| the canvas is gathered in and srothered
| upon the yard. The ship is rocking and
| rolling, the men are standing in the foot
| ropes, holding on with the wrinkles OF their
| hide. anXiOusy waiting to get the sail furled
| that they may go below and turn in. Now
| We hear the voice of the second mate,
| To my way-ay-ay ah!
| Refrain. Wen hang Paddy Doyle for his boots
| The chanties have "A pathos all their own
| Steam interfered with them. \ younger race
| of seamen took the place of the old she'll
| back We have only now the echo of the
| chanty remaining, but we hope the real thing
| is not gone forever