BALLAD. (The wind blew hard, the sea ran…)

The wind blew hard, the sea ran high, The dingy scud drove cross the sky, All was safe lashed, the bowl was slung, When careless thus Ned Haulyard sung:

A sailor's life's the life for me, He takes his duty merrily, If winds can whistle, he can sing; Still faithful to his friend and king, He gets belov'd by all the ship, And toasts his girl, and drinks his flip.

Down topsails boys, the gale comes on, To strike top-gallant yards they run, And now to hand the sail prepared, Ned cheerful sings upon the yard:

A sailor's life, &c.

A leak, a leak!—come lads be bold, There's five foot water in the hold, Eager on deck see Haulyard jump, And hark while working at the pump:

A sailor's life, &c.

And see! the vessel nought can save, She strikes and finds a wat'ry grave! Yet Ned preserved, with a few more, Sings as he treads a foreign shore:

A sailor's life, &c.

And now—unnumbered perils past, On land as well as sea—at last In tatters to his Poll and home See honest Haulyard singing come:

A sailor's life, &c.

Yet for poor Haulyard what disgrace, Poll swears she never saw his face; He damns her for a faithless she, And singing goes again to sea:

A sailor's life, &c.