The BREATH of LIFE.
Being an account of a Young Man that went to Sea, thinking
it a pleasant Life; but soon found his Mistake.
Prettily expressed in Sea Terms.
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WHen first I drew the Breath of Life,
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Twas in the merry month of June,
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The fourteenth day as I was told,
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When Roses they were in their bloom.
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In seventeen hundred and five,
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It was the date of the year.
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My parents did for me provide,
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The best of learning I declare.
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When I grew up they askd me thus,
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What trade they should for me provide?
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O then I answerd them again,
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My minds to cross the ocean wide.
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My whimsical brain did fully show,
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The pleasures seamen enjoyd at sea;
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But not the sorrow, grief, nor woe,
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They suffer in extremity.
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If there be pleasure on the seas,
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Tis when the Wind and Weathers fair,
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With a bowl of punch heres to you Jack,
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I thank you Will, lets drown all care.
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Hardships we know there is full well,
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But we must never flinch altho
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Dark dismal night and lofty seas,
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Contrary winds, hail, rain, and blow.
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When we are on the raging main,
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With wind right aft, and a pleasant gale,
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O then we have our hearts desire,
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When we can spread abroad our sail,
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Our main-sail hauld up in the brail,
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Our fore-sail drove us brave[l]y thro.
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Our top-sail and top-gallant sails,
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When hoisted, make a gallant shew.
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Now when the wind wont stand I am afraid
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It weareth forward I plainly see,
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Get the fore-tack down to the cat-head,
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The main-top down to the larchestree.
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Down studding sails, aloe and alust,
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And put them by boys for this time,
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And stow your stay-sails fore and aft,
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And trim your sails unto the wind,
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And now shell hardly lay her course,
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So let us get our tacks on board,
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Our sheets laid alt and our bawling hawl,
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And see all things else prepard.
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We must expect to head the sea,
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Where foaming billows aloud do roar,
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Like hills and dales the main looks you see
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Now our pleasant sail is oer.
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Instead of studding now tis luff,
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Dont fall off my boys, thus, and no near,
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The Grampus blows a lofty spout,
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The sky looks dismal I declare.
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Its in top-gallant sail, my boys,
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Hawl down your top-mast, stay-sails too,
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We have met with a tartar Im afraid,
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We will settle our three top-sails low.
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Now boys let us reel while we have time,
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Let run your top-sail haul the yard down,
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The rore and main-top bowling gone,
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Set the weather braces round,
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And fill your sails my hearts of g[o]ld,
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Hawl your keel-tacks also;
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It will blow hard I do perceive,
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Lets clew them up while we are below.
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The single reef in each top-sail,
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And to fur them it is agreed;
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So bear a hand my hearts of gold,
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And make haste down with nimble speed.
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And see your jeers fore clear and aft,
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Your haul down tackle-hood also,
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And see all things ready prepard,
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Both up aloft and down below.
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Brail up your mizen snug my boys,
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And chearful lower away your yard;
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The sky looks black and dismal too,
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Which plainly shows it will blow hard,
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A good hand stand by the main sheer,
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And see all clear to let it fly;
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It looks as thick as butter milk,
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And will be with us by and by.
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So hard a weather goes the helm,
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Let fly the main-sheet now with speed,
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This furious squall will soon be oer,
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It breaks apace I do perceive,
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Come haul aft your main sheets again,
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Luff round my boys, lets lose no ground,
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The sky looks dark and dismal too,
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We will surely lower our fore-yard down.
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So forward now my heart of gold,
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Let go your lifts in the first place,
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A sturdy fellow to the jeers,
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And strength is required at the brace.
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Your down haul tackles must be mand,
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Clue garnets, burnt-lines, and lift-lines too
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Ease off your sheet, let rise your tack,
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And now my boys lets clue him up,
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Belay your lifts securely hard,
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Then up aloft him snug,
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Quoil your ropes, and then come aft,
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And well all hands tippe the nut brown jug
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And now our helm is lashd a-lee,
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And all things are secure aloft;
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You at the helm pray mind the glass,
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How she comes too, and likewise falls off,
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The storm increases more and more,
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Well up and make a reef in the main sail.
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In one consent let it be agreed,
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Lets seamens courage never fail,
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And to your station now my boys,
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Pray stand by seamen every one.
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Ease off your sheet, let rise your tack,
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Set in your brace your bow-lines down,
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When this is done, then down we come,
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To see what more we have to do;
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We lose our mizen in the brails,
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We balance him and set him too:
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Now hes balancd in a trice,
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Sway up the yard, haul aft the sheet,
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No sooner spoke but away she flies,
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And leave the bolt rope in his stead,
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Our goodly ship lies dangerous too,
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In the surge of all the sea,
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And takes us upon the broadside,
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And makes oer us a passage free.
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You see the danger we are in,
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For Gods sake boys what shall we do?
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Its better to sail before the wind,
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Im sure my boys than thus lie too.
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In one consent lets be agreed,
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In readiness prepare all things:
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And bunt our fore-sails securely fast,
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And well send under our goose wings.
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Now steady, steady is the word,
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Pray mind your helm. Steady starboard,
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No sooner spoke but brought too;
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Pray stop her, its hard a port,
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Pray mind the motion of her head,
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For Gods sake keep off, dont bring her to
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For all our lives lie at stake,
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Our goodly ship and cargo too;
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No sooner spoke but away she flies,
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Alas, they strove in vain,
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For down she lies all on the careen,
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As if shed never rise again.
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We being now in this distress,
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Our mizen mast we cut away,
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Thinking to lighten her again.
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But all in vain, still down she lay.
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You see what dangers we are in,
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The best of comfort we can afford,
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To lighten our ships, and save our lives,
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We cut our main-mast by the board.
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The seas they roard like mountains high,
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Which stavd our boat in pieces small;
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Of all our lofty standing masts,
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Our fore-mast top stood and that was all:
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Now to conclude and make an end,
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I wish I had known as much before,
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I would have chose some other trade,
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And livd contented on the shore.
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