“Never Go Back on the Poor”

Description

"In this world of sorrow, of toil and regret, There are scenes I would gladly pass o?er." A great ship sinks as it carries emigrants forced from home by poverty. Divers go to examine the wreck, but make little effort to recover the steerage passengers

Notes

This song nowhere specifies the name of the shipwreck it describes, but it sounds to me as if it describes the _Atlantic_ wreck of 1873: She carried emigrants, losses were large and affected the Steerage in particular, and the captain was asleep at the time of the collision. - RBW

Historical references

• Mar 31/Apr 1, 1873 - wreck of the Atlantic

Cross references

• cf. "The Loss of the Atlantic (I)"

References

1. Dean, pp. 116-117, "Never Go Back on the Poor" (1 text)
2. Roud #9594
3. BI, Dean116