Barrett’s Privateers

Oh the year was 1778,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

When a letter of Mark came from the King,

To the scummiest vessel I’d ever seen,

God damn them all! I was told

We’d cruise the seas for American gold,

We’d fire no guns, shed no tears!

Now I’m a broken man on a Halifax pier,

The last of Barrett’s Privateers!

Oh Elcid Barrett cried the town,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

For twenty brave men all fishermen who,

Would make for him the Antelope’s crew,

Oh the Antelope sloop was a sickening sight,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

She’d a list to the port and her sails in rags,

And the cook in the scuppers with the staggers and jags,

On the King’s birthday we put to sea,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

We were ninety-one days to Mantigo Bay,

Pumping like mad men all the way,

On the ninety-sixth day we sailed again,

How I wish I was in Sherbrook now!

When a bloody great Yankee hove in sight,

With our cracked four-pounders we made to fight,

Oh the Yankee lay weighed down with gold,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

She was broad and fat and loose in the stays,

But to catch her took the Antelope two whole days!

At length we stood two cables away,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

Our cracked four-pounders made an awful din,

But with one fat ball the Yank stove us in,

Oh the Antelope shook and pitched on her side,

How I wish I was in Sherbrooke now!

Barrett was smashed like a bowl of eggs,

And the main truck carried off both me legs,

Now here I lay in me twenty-third year,

How I wish I was in Sherbrook now,

It’s been six years since we sailed away,

And I just made Halifax yesterday!