Captain Glen's Unhappy Voyage to New Barbary (Peterhead)/The Tempest

For other versions of this work, see The Tempest (Song).

For works with similar titles, see Tempest.

THE TEMPEST.

CEASE, rude boreas, blust‘ring railer
 List ye landsmen all to me;
Messmates hear a brother sailor,
 sing the dangers of the sea.
From bounding billows first in motion,
 when the distant whirlwinds rise;
To the tempest troubled ocean,
 where the seas contend with skies.

Hark, the boatswain hoarsely bawling,
 by top-sail sheets and haul-yards stand;
Down top-gallants—quick—be hauling,
 down your stay sails, hand boys hand.
Now it freshens, set the braces,
 the lee-top-sail-sheets let go;
Luff, boys luff, dont make wry faces,
 up your top-sails nimbly clue.

Now, all you on down-beds ſporting,
 fondly lock‘d in beauty‘s arms;
Fresh enjoyment, wanton courting,
 safe from all but love‘s alarms:
Round us roars the tempest louder,
 think what fears our minds enthral;
Harder yet, it still blows harder,
 hark, again the boatswain‘s call.

The top-sail yard point to the wind boys,
 set all clear to reef each course;
Let the fore-sheet go, dont mind boys,
 tho‘ the weather should be worse;
Fore and aft the sprit-sail yard get,
 reef the mizen, see all clear;
Hands aloft, each preventer-brace set,
 man the fore-yard, cheer, lads cheer.

Now the dreadful thunders roaring,
 peals on peals contending clash;
On our heads fierce rain falls po uring,
 In our eyes blue lightnings flash:
One wide water all around us,
 all above us one black sky;
Different deaths at once surround us,
 hark, what means yon dismal cry!

The foremast‘s gone, cries every tongue out
 o‘er the lee twelve feet ‘bove deck;
A leak beneath the chestree‘s sprung out,
 call all hands to clear the wreck:
Quick the lainards cut to pieces,
 come my hearts be stout and bold;
Plumb the well, the leak increases,
 Four feet water‘s in the hold.

While oʻer the ship wild waves are beating
 we for wives or children mourn:
Alas! from hence there‘s no retreating,
 alas! to them there‘s no return!
Still the leak is gaining on us,
 both chain-pumps are choak‘d below;
Heaven have mercy here upon us,
 for only that can save us now!

On the lee-beam is the land boys,
 let the guns o‘er board be thrown;
To the pump come every hand boys,
 see,our mizen-mast is gone.
The leak wev‘e found it cannot pour fast,
 we‘ve lightned her a foot or more;
Up and rig a jury fore-mast,
 she rights, she rights boys wear off shore.

Now once more on joys wer‘e thinking,
 since kind fortune‘s fav‘d our lives;
Come, the can boys let‘s be drinking,
 to our sweethearts and our wives:
Fill it up—about ship wheel it,
 close to the lips the brimmer join;
Where‘s the tempest now? who feels it?
 none—our danger‘s drown‘d in wine.

FINIS.