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View Full Version : Lines on the Fishing Boat ''Brothers'' by W T M T



trinkie
18-Feb-07, 13:15
Lines on the Fishing Boat "Brothers" of Thurso, and Crew.
by W.T.M.T.

'Twas on the 18th day of January
In Eighteen Eighty-nine
Early in the morning
Or very near that time.

Chorus -
They all left their homes, ne'er dreaming of death
In one fatal wave they drew their last breath,
Their bodies now roll in the Pentland Firth
In a watery grave instead of earth.

A boat from Thurso Bay did go
Out to the fishing ground
All wrapt in oilskins were the crew
For duty they were bound.

The crew set sail upon their boat
To the fishing ground they bore
Which lay out off Old Holborn Head
Eight miles or fully more.

The fishing ground was reached all well,
To work they did begin
But little, little did they think
That they would ne'er come in.

They were eight hardy seamen
As Thurso could turn out,
They were a good and hardy crew
For seamenship throughout.

At one o'clock in the afternoon
The gale it did arise
Which put a motion in the sea
And billows of great size.

When all the boats were striving
To reach the Thurso shore
This little boat she did her best
But never was seen more.

The other boats were all well decked,
But this one was not so
And, in striving with the billows
To the bottom she did go.

Some say the boat did not go down
But she went through the Firth
Their Bodies lie beneath the waves
Instead of in the earth.

There were five widows left to mourn
Their husbands' sudden end,
And three young men were there also
On whom their friends depend.

There are sixteen fatherless children left
All unprovided for
These sixteen darling little ones
Their dads will never see more.

Now, all kinds of fishermen
You'll hearken the appeal
Send in the money you can spare
And give the bairnies meal.