REASON’S VOYAGE 

The earth was gay with early May 

The tide was quickly flowing 

When senses bright in that warm light 

The thoughts of ice were growing 

Speed on my boat, more quickly float 

Far off the icy towers 

And there I’ll see young love will flee 

And wanton with the flowers 

Speed on my boat more quickly float 

Far off are beauty’s bowers 

The boat speeds well when evening fell 

To beauty knelt our lover 

And gravely told his love tale cold 

But love would not discover 

Speed on my boat, more quickly float 

Far off are young love’s bowers 

Oh who can say when we will play 

Back with the summer flowers 

Speed on my boat, more quickly float 

Far off are young love’s bowers 

The evening fell and still his sails 

Beneath the moonbeams quiver 

When folly flew with all her crew 

Out from the sparkling river 

Speed on my boat, more quickly float 

I hate the idle laughter 

How would the wise, grave sense despise 

Amongst the pleasure finders 

Speed on my boat, more quickly float 

I hate the idle laughter 

With angry pride, the sea we plied 

While folly laughing, singing 

Then filled her cup and drained it up 

While shouts around were ringing 

I’ll flee with speed but take from me 

This wreath of barren holly 

Will suit you well, who could not tell 

That love itself was folly 

I’ll flee with speed but take from me 

This wreath of barren holly 

 

DEATH OF A GULL 

Unhappy gull, they luckless end 

May almost claim a tear 

And thus to all that will attend 

I’ll make the matter clear 

Your parents on the sea washed beach 

Fell, pierced by fatal lead 

In vain from swift pursuer’s reach 

Yourself and brother fled 

And now denied aloft to soar 

Or skim the waters round 

You both upon North Georgia’s shore 

Pea soup in plenty found 

Yet food affords but small delight 

When squabbles break our rest 

And john and you would often fight 

The cause yourselves knew best 

But Johnny died and this last source 

Of pleasure with him fell 

When dire ennui’s all fretful farce 

Did in your bosom swell 

At length the fateful morn arrives 

Unusual flames ascend 

Had you possessed a hundred lives 

They all had found an end 

I feel it’s true some sense of pain 

Your sufferings to review 

But such regrets are ever vain 

Miss Jenny Gull adieu 

 

SONG OF DEFEAT 

Away! Away! No kin have we 

There’s nothing left to lose or win 

The brave have sooner died than flee 

And cowards they are not our kin 

Weep for there’s grace in woman’s tears 

When man fears death he owns his fears 

Oh men! Oh father! Where’s the fame 

Your Grandfather left you with their name 

Away! Away! The tears we shed 

Are tears of anger not of woe 

Tears for the living, not the dead 

For those whose kin t’were a shame to know. 

The bird in each tree finds his nest 

The deer to any lair can fly 

But where shall wretched exiles rest 

Who have not heart to live or die 

 

DYING BROTHERS 

Lay up nearer, brother, nearer 

For my limbs are growing cold 

And they presence seemeth dearer 

As thy arms around me fold 

I am dying, surely dying 

But my hopes in God are strong 

And I’m willing, brother, knowing 

That he doeth nothing wrong 

Listen, brother, catch each whisper 

I have something I would say 

Ere the veil my vision darkens 

As I go far hence away 

Tell my mother, God assist her 

Now, for she is growing old 

And her son would fain have kissed her 

Ere his lips grew pale and cold 

Listen, brother, catch each whisper 

Tis my wife I speak of now 

Tell, o tell her how I missed her 

When the fever burned my brow 

Tell her she must kiss my children 

Like the kisses last embrace 

Hold them as when last I held them 

Hold them closely to her breast 

Oh my children, heaven bless them 

They were all the world to me 

Would I could once more embrace them 

Ere I sink beneath the sea 

Twas for them I crossed the ocean 

What my hopes I will not tell 

They have gained an orphan’s portion 

But he doeth all things well 

Tell my father when you meet him 

That in death I Prayed for him 

Prayed that I would one day meet him 

In a world that’s free from sin 

Tell my sister I remember 

Every kindly parting word 

And my heart has been kept tender 

With the thoughts their memory stirred 

Tell me I’ll ne’er reach the haven 

Where we sought the passage through 

But I’ve gained a port called heaven 

Where the dream will not grow old 

Hark I hear my saviour calling 

Tis his voice I know full well 

When I’m gone, O, don’t be weeping 

Brother here’s my last farewell

 

SONG OF THE SLEDGE 

We’re away, we’re away, on the bleak frozen sea 

When glory’s ahead none so fearless as we 

Danger’s our birth right we’ve scorned it before 

When friends need our help we’ll dare it the more 

No home but our tent and our bed the cold snow 

Is not heaven above us wherever we go 

A fig for all hardship we’ll strive all the more 

Across the wide flow and along the lone shore 

Our shipmates last cheer bore the sound of success 

Our efforts the prayers of the mourner will bless 

Stop out my brave hearts who so dauntless as we 

We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea 

We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea 

Hark save or we perish is borne on the gale 

When such is their need is there one that would fail 

No shoulder to shoulder we’ll search the dark West 

And smile at the toil and ask not for rest 

Till we grasp by the hand our countrymen dear 

And over the soul drop a sailor’s sad tear 

Yes the ice it may rend and the snow storm may rage 

We seamen with both a struggle can wage 

Our duty says onward and onward we go 

And abide his behest for weal or for woe 

Step out my brave hearts who so dauntless as we 

We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea 

We’re away, we’re away on the bleak frozen sea 

 

THE REINDEER AND THE OX 

Yes in climes beyond the sea 

Milder gales per chance are blowing 

But so long, o’er snowy mountains 

I have marked the morning beam 

Southern Vales and Southern fountains 

Would to me more cheerless seem 

Take the reindeer from the ground 

Where the heard is want to rally 

Take the muskox from the valley 

Where the food he loves is found 

Though in richest mead reclining 

E’er the Southern poet sung 

For his sandy plain he’s pining 

And his rock with lichen hung 

 

ALOUETTE 

Alouette, gentile alouette 

Alouette, I’ll pull your feathers off 

I’ll pluck the feathers from your head 

I’ll pluck the feathers from your head 

From your head 

From your head 

Alouette, Alouette 

Alouette, Oh. 

…..wings 

….legs 

…..tail 

….eyes 

 

FROM GREENLAND’S ICY MOUNTAINS 

From Greenland’s icy mountians 

From India’s coral strand 

Where Africa’s sunny fountains 

Roll down their golden sand 

From many an ancient river 

From many a palmy plain 

They call us to deliver 

Their land from error’s chain 

Can we whose souls are lighted 

With wisdom from on high 

Can we from men benighted 

The lamp of life deny 

Salvation O salvation 

The joyful sound proclaim 

Till each remotest nation 

Has learned Messiah’s name 

Waft waft ye winds his story 

And you ye waters roll 

Till like a sea of glory 

It spreads from pole to pole 

Till over our ransomed nature 

The lamb for sinners slain 

Redeemer King Creator 

In bliss returns to reign 

 

LADY FRANKLIN 

You seamen bold, that have long withstood 

Wild storms of Neptune’s briny flood 

Hear these lines which I now will name 

And bring to mind such a sailor’s dream 

As homeward bound one night on the deep 

Slung in my hammock I fell asleep 

I dreamed a dream which I thought was true 

Concerning Franklin and his brave crew 

I thought as we neared to the Humber shore 

I heard a female that did deplore 

She wept aloud and did seem to say 

Alas my Franklin is long away 

Her mind it seemed to be in great distress 

She cried aloud I can take no rest 

Ten thousand pounds I would freely give 

To say on earth that my husband lives 

A long time now since two ships of fame 

Did bear my husband across the main 

A hundred seamen so brisk and stout 

To find a North West Passage out 

With one hundred seamen with hearts so bold 

I fear have perished in the frost and cold 

Alas she cried all my life I’ll mourn 

Since Franklin never seems to return 

For since that time seven years are past 

And many a keen and bitter blast 

Blows over the grave where poor seamen fell 

Whose dreadful sufferings no tongue can tell 

There’s Captain Austin of Scarboro town 

Brave Granville and Penny of mush renown 

With Captain Ross and so many more 

Have long been searching the Arctic shore 

They sailed East and they sailed West 

Round Greenland’s coast they knew the best 

In hardships tough they vainly strove 

On mountains of ice their ships were drove 

At Baffin’s Bay where the whalefish blows 

The fate of Franklin nobody knows 

Which causes many a wife to mourn 

In grievous sorrow for their return 

These sad forebodings they give me pain 

For the long lost Franklin across the main 

Likewise the fate of so many before 

Who have left their homes to return no more 

 

WILD WILD WANDERER 

Farewell poor Carlo! Hapless dog adieu! 

We mourn your fate unknown, but fate for sure 

For fled is every hope, on which we drew 

How could your frame the piercing frost endure 

A wild wild wanderer in the midnight shade 

A loyal dog you were not one to stray 

And long your wished return, though still delayed 

We vainly looked through each revolving day 

On these dreary plains, exposed to every blast 

Your bones will whiten in the wintery wind 

For your confidence in trust, given to the last 

Betrayed you friendless to the savage kind 

Lured to the rabid wolf’s ferocious train 

Your guiltless blood now stains the flecky snow 

Indignant courage fired your heart in vain 

Yet were you not in fight a feeble foe 

For animation filled your sparkling eyes 

And gentle pleasure every look expressed 

When some loved footstep heard, approaching nigh 

Inspired with joy your almost reasoning heart 

Farewell poor Carlo! Though no headstone raised 

The frail memorial of your fatal doom 

Your faithful worth the mind, so generous will prize 

While winter’s gathered snows adorn your tomb 

Farewell poor Carlo! Hapless dog adieu! 

A wild wild wanderer with the wolves through the snow