Broadside Ballad Lyrics

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Broadside Ballad Lyrics
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The Flying Cloud

• Come all you rambling sailor boys come listen to
  me
• I'm heavy bound in irons strong to die for piracy
  
• With eighteen more I am condemned in sorrow to
  complain
• For plundering and burning ships down on the
  Spanish Main

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The Flying Cloud

• When I was young and innocent my heart it knew no
  guile
• In happy home I lived content my parents on me
  smiled
• But drinking and bad company has made a wreck of
  me
• Take warning all, by my downfall and beware of
  piracy

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The Flying Cloud

• My name is Edward Anderson as you might
  understand
• I belongs to the town of Waterford in Erin 's
  lovely land
• My parents raised me tenderly in the fear of God
  likewise
• Twas little I thought I would die in scorn 'neath
  Cuba 's sunny skies

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The Flying Cloud

• My father bound me to a trade in Waterford fair
  town
• He bound me to a cooper whose name was William
  Brown
• I served my master faithfully for eighteen months
  or more
• Then I shipped on board of the Ocean Queen bound
  to Valparaiso 's shore

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The Flying Cloud

• It happened in Valparaiso I fell in with Captain
  Moore
• He commanded the clipper Flying Cloud sailing out
  of Baltimore
• I hired out for to sail with him on a slavery
  voyage to go
• To the bonny shores of Africay where the sugar
  cane do grow

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The Flying Cloud

• We soon tossed over those raging seas and landed
  safe on shore
• Five hundred of those poor souls from their
  country homes we tore
• We dragged their bodies to our decks and stowed
  them well below
• And eighteen inches to a man was all we had to
  stow

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The Flying Cloud

• We then weighed anchor and went to sea our cargo
  all of slaves
• It had been better for those poor souls they had
  gone to their graves
• The plague fever came on board swept half of them
  away
• We dragged their bodies to our deck and threw
  them in the sea

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The Flying Cloud

• It being a short time after that we reached the
  Arabian Shore
• We sold them to a planter they were slaves
  forevermore
• To toil in the rice and sugar fields beneath the
  burning sun
• To drag away their wretched lives till their
  career was run

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The Flying Cloud

• It's when our money was all spent we went on
  board again
• And Captain Moore called us on deck and said to
  us his men
• "There's gold and plenty to be had all for thee
  on the main
• And if you'll agree my bully crew I'll tell you
  how it's gained

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The Flying Cloud

• "We have as fast a sailing ship as ever skimmed
  the seas
• Or as ever set a maintop sail before a heavy
  breeze
• And if you'll agree my bully crew and with me do
  remain
• We'll run aloft a pirate flag and scour the
  Spanish Main."

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The Flying Cloud

• We all agreed but five bold youth who told us
  then to land
• Two of them were Boston men and two from
  Newfoundland
• The other being an Irishman belonging to Tramore
• How I wish I had joined those men and landed safe
  on shore

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The Flying Cloud

• The Flying Cloud was a clipper barque five
  hundred tons or more
• She could easily sail around any ship sailing out
  of Baltimore
• I've often seen that goodly ship with the wind
  abaft the beam
• With her oil and stern sails set aloft taking
  sixteen from the reel

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The Flying Cloud

• Her sails were white as the driven snow on them
  there wasn't a speck
• Seventy-five brass-mounted guns she carried on
  her deck
• With iron chests and magazines stored safely down
  below
• She had long Tom between her masts on a swivel
  did he go

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The Flying Cloud

• We were often chased by man'o'wars and oft times
  by frigates too
• But to overhaul our goodly ship it was more than
  they could do
• Sail all in vain astern of us their cannons
  roared aloud
• They could not by any means at all overhaul the
  Flying Cloud

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The Flying Cloud

• We robbed and plundered many a ship down on the
  Spanish Main
• Left many a widow and an orphan child in sorrow
  to complain
• We caused the crew to walk the plank that hung
  out over our rail
• The saying of our captain was dead men tells no
  tales

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The Flying Cloud

• We were often chased by man'o'wars and oft times
  by frigates too
• But to overhaul our goodly ship it was more than
  they could do
• Sail all in vain astern of us their cannons
  roared aloud
• They could not by any means at all overhaul the
  Flying Cloud

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The Flying Cloud

• So fare you well sweet Waterford and the girl I
  loved so dear
• Her voice like music soft and sweet I never more
  shall hear
• I never more shall kiss her rosy cheek nor press
  her lily-white hand
• For it's on the gallows I must die by the laws of
  the Spanish Land

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• She got up steam the twelfth of March and shortly
  did embark
• To try her fortune in the gulf in charge of
  Captain Clarke
• She carried a hundred seventy men a strong and
  vigorous race
• Some from St. John's and Brigus and more from
  Harbour Grace

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• They reached the gulf in early March the
  whitecoats for to slew
• With 17,000 prime young harps killed by her hardy
  crew
• All panned and safely stowed below with colours
  waving gay
• The Southern Cross she left the ice bound out for
  home that day

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• She passed near Channel homeward bound as news
  came out next day
• To say a steamer from the gulf she now is on her
  way
• No doubt it is the Southern Cross the operator
  said
• She's looking to have a bumper trip and well down
  by the head

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• The last of March the storm came on with blinding
  snow and sleet
• The Portia bound for western ports the Southern
  Cross did meet
• When Captain Connors from the bridge he saw the
  ship that day
• And thinking she would shelter up in St. Mary's
  Bay

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• St. Mary's Bay she never reached as news came out
  next morn
• She must have been all night at sea all in that
  dreadful storm
• The S.S. Doyle was soon despatched to search the
  ocean round
• But no sign of that missing ship could anywhere
  be found

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• She searched Cape Race and every place until she
  reached Cape Pine
• But of the crew or wreckage the Captain found no
  sign
• So put your trust in providence and trust to Him
  on high
• To send the Southern Cross back home and fill sad
  hearts with joy

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Wreck of the Southern Cross

• All things do happen for the best but if they're
  called away
• Those brave lads on the Southern Cross out in the
  storm that day
• We trust they reached the Heavenly land and rest
  with Him on high
• Where cares and sorrows are no more but all is
  peace and joy