Digital Tradition Mirror

The Loss of the Albion

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The Loss of the Albion

Come all ye jovial seamen bold. come listen unto me!
A dreadful story shall be told that happened once at sea.
`Tis of the noble Albion ship, upon the Irish coast,
And most of passengers and crew, they were completely lost.

It was the first of April from New York we set sail,
Kind Neptune did protect us with a sweet and pleasant
Until about the twentieth a storm then did arise,
The raging billows loud did roar and dismal were the skies.

It was on Sunday afternoon the land we did espy;
The southward winds began to blow, the sees ran mountains high.
The southward winds began to blow and heavy squalls came on,
Which made our passengers to weep and sailors for to mourn.

All prudent sail we carried to keep us clear from land,
Expecting every moment that our vessel she would strand.
Our foretopsail was split, my boys, our foreyard took away,
The mainmast by the deck was broke, and mizzen swept away.

We had a lady fair on board, Miss Powell was her name,
Whose name deserves to be engraved upon the list of fame;
She wished to take her turn at pump, her precious life to save,
No sooner was her wish denied, she met a watery grave.

Our captain was washed overboard, into the boundless deep,
Which caused all who were on board for to lament and weep.
Unto the pumps we lashed ourselves, most dreadful for to know,
And many a hearty soul, my boys, then overboard did go.

All night in this condition we lay tossing to and fro,
At two o'clock next morning were in the midst of woe;
Full twenty-seven men on deck, with each a broken heart,
The Albion struck against a rock and midship she did part.

And now this noble vessel. The Albion she is lost,
Which had so oftentimes the tempestuous ocean crossed.
Our noble captain he is lost. a man, a sailor bold,
And many a jolly life is lost and many a heart laid cold.

Our passengers were twenty-seven, when from New York we came.
Full twenty-five bold sailor lads as ever crossed the main;
Full fifty-four, we had on board, when first we did set sail,
Only nine escaped the wreck to tell the dreadful tale.

Note: From the manuscript book of Mrs. Susie Carr Young,
as sung in her family in Orland, Maine, "The ship Albion,
Williams master, from New York to Liverpool, at 4 A.M.. of
the morning of April 22, 1822. Among those lost was Professor
Alexander Fisher of Yale College, the promised husband of Miss
Catherine Beecher, elder sister of Harriet Beecher Stowe. Mrs.
Young recalled having read this in the life of Mrs. Stowe and
reference to the volume furnished the date of the shipwreck.
The song was immensely popular and still persists. We might have
had numerous copies of it. One which was taken down from the
singing of Mr. John T. White, of Brewer, Maine, was learned by
him in his youth on Prince Edward Island. HHF

From Minstrelsy of Maine; 1927
Air: Young Caroline of Edinburgh Town
DT #609
Laws D2
AJS

Thanks to Mudcat for the Digital Tradition!