Conference unifix::sailing

1840.0. "Nautical Lore" by GRANMA::HAJOHNSON () Sun Mar 15 1992 22:11

A member of my sailing club (76 yrs old) recited this at a meeting.   He 
does not know the author and says he learned it as a child.  I put it under 
Misc, but maybe we should start a new category of Nautical lore.  Have fun
with it.

I wandered one day by the breezy bay
A-watching the ships go by,
When a tired tar said with a shake of his head,
I wish I could tell a lie.
I've seen some sights as would jigger your light
And they've jiggered my own in sooth,
But I ain't worth a darn at telling a yarn
What wanders away from the truth.

We were out in the brig, the Rigajigjig,
'bout a mile and a half to sea,
When Captain Snook, with a troubled look,
He comes and he says to me,
"O Bos'un Smith, make hast forthwith
And hemstich the forward sail.
Accordeon pleat the dory sheet
For I fear we are in for a gale.

I straightway did as the Captain bid,
No sooner the job was through
When the north wind, Woof! bounced over the roof
And murderin' lights she blew!
Shw blew the tars right off the spars
And the spars right off the mast;
The sails and the pails and anchors and nails
Flew by in the fearful blast.

Before we could look she blew the cook
Straight out of the porthole glim
And the pots and pans and kettles and cans
Went rattlin' after him.
She blew the fire from the gallant stove
And the coal from the gallant bin,
And whistled apace past the Captain's face
And blew the beard from his chin.

"O wizzle me dead!" the Captain said,
(These words they blew from his mouth),
"We're lost, I fear, if the winf don't veer
And blow awhile from the south."
"O wizzle me dead..." No sooner he'd said
Those words that blew from his mouth,
When the wind veered 'round with a hurricane sound
And blew straight in from the south.

We opened our eyes with wild surprise,
And never a word to say,
For in changing her tack the wind blew back
The things she had blown away.

She blew the tars back onto the spars
And the spars back onto the mast;
The sails and pails and anchors and nails
Which into the ship stuck fast.
Before we could look, she blew back the cook
Back into the galley coop,
And the pots and the pans and kettles and cans
Without even spilling the soup.

She blew the fire back into the stove
Where it burned in its proper place,
And everyone cheered when she blew back the beard,
Back onto the Captain's face.

"There's more of me tale." Said the sailor hale,
As would jigger your lights in sooth,
"But I ain't worth a darn at spinning a yarn,
What wanders away from the truth."

    Does anyone know or know of a prayer for sailors?  I believe there was
    one that featured St. Elmo or some such.  Any help or pointers
    appreciated.
    
    Brian

    re .1
    
       the one I read many years ago in a sailing magazine and have used
    many a time racing went
    
    "Lord, I'll give up drinking beer for xx weeks if you can give
    me a lift so I can lay that windward mark"   ;>) ;>)
    
    

    No, that's not it but I like it anyway. :-)

    There's a prayer for which I only know the beginning.  It goes:
    
    	Oh, Lord, Thy sea is so great, and my boat so small.....
    
    Anyone know the rest?
    
    

    At the time of Trafalgar a prayer paraphrased into modern idiom!!!
    
    Before Battle the common seaman would pray...
    
    Lord as we go into battle I pray that death and injuries are
    apportioned like prize money
    
    the lions share to the officers.
    

.4

That may be part of the "Ryme (sic) of the Acient Mariner".

Doug Claflin