“The Wreck of the Maggie”
Description
Maggie leaves Brooklyn in Bonavista Bay and arrives in St John's harbour "when Captain Blunden cried, 'My boys, there's a steamer bearing down.'" Maggie and the steamer Tiber crash. Many are drowned
Supplemental text
Wreck of the Maggie, The
Partial text(s)
*** A ***
As printed in Ryan & Small, Haulin' Rope & Gaff, pp. 42-43. Reprinted
from Leach, Folk Ballads and Songs of the Lower Labrador Coast. Sung
by Abram Roberts.
The scene that followed -- O God is branded on my brain,
And rather would I join the drowned than witness it again.
The cries of sweethearts pierced the air in a desp'rate fight for life,
When a brother saw a brother sink and a husband saw his wife.
At ten forenoon November five the Maggie sailed away
From her happy home near Brooklyn in Bonavista Bay.
Light winds did waft her on her course; light hearted was her crew;
And Friday off the Narrows the city came in view.
(Stanzas 1-4 of 11 -- or, properly, 1 and 2 of 5-1/2; the lyrics are
printed in half-stanzas of two long lines even though the tune
extends over four long lines)
Historical references
- Nov 7, 1896 - The Maggie sinks after collision with the Tiber in St John's Harbour (source: Northern Shipwrecks DataBase)
Cross references
- cf. "Loss of the Maggie" (subject)
References
- Leach-Labrador 80, "The Wreck of the Maggie" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Lehr/Best 70, "The Maggie" (1 text, 1 tune)
- Ryan/Small, pp. 42-43, "The Wreck of the Maggie" (1 text, 1 tune)
- ST LLab080 (Partial)
- Roud #4413
- BI, LLab080