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Come all my friends and neighbours
round, give ear, while I disclose
The dangers of a foreign voyage, in which we was exposed.
Its of a mineing company who left their native shore,
And sail’d for South America, in search of mineral ore.
We all embark’d at falmouth port, our voyage for to proceed,
In the good ship Marquis of anglesea, a handsom ship indeed.
The thirteenth of September, when our orders was for sea,
We hauled up our topsails, and we soon got under way.
Our friends they stood upon the hills, while they could have a view,
We gave a cheer of three times three, and bade our isle adieu.
We had not left our island long, before we was surprise
To see our burk so toss about upon the swelling seas.
The twenty-first of November a gale of wind came on,
We lost one of our comrades here, he from the deck was blown.
We saw our friend toss’d on the swells, that runs like mountains high;
Sailors and men was active then, and every means did try.
The oders then was backen sails; we for a while lay to,
And after using every means, we bid our friend adieu.
He sunk beneath the heavy swells, near the Brazilian shore;
The greedy sea inclos’d him in, we never seed him more.
He left a wife and child on board, to share their loss apart;
The crys that echo’d through the ship whould rend the hardes heart.
Then on our voyage we did proceed; I’m sorry to relate,
We was drove on a bank of sand, that’s in the River Plate.
Sea after sea did drive us forth; all hands was called on deck,
For to consult the best methode to save us from a wreck.
When much exertion here was used to git her off again,
But after toiling all the day, we seed our work was vain.
To throw the cargo overboard. Our lives was valued then,
And try to save our shatter’d hulk, to bear us safe to land.
When many thousands pounds value was thrown into the sea,
We had no hopes of getting off, our ship so heavy lay,
Expecting of a gale of wind to blow from the south-west;
The only means we had to try, was to cut down our mast.
But while we held a council here, our look-out did express
“A sail in sight, a sail in sight, and standing towards us”.
Just at this time a schooner came, our wants for to relieve,
Part of our cargo for to save, though they was Portugees…. |
