Stansas by Jane Frances James
STANSAS
Written on board the "Lillies"
on a passage from St John NB for
Liverpool
In the "Lilies" from the
port of "St John" we set sail.
Towed out by the steam boat, with a southerly gale,
Around the bluff headlands where the winds wildly blow
Away! far away! to the Eastward we'll go
II
Three cheers 'from the gallant
ship soon rose on high
And rang through the vapour that obscured the sky,
But twill soon clear away and Norwesters will blow
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we'll go,
III
Night soon came on and the winds
wilder blew
We stood by and up our top gallants did clew
While the tempest tossed ship lay rolling to and fro
Bound away to the East ward in the "Lillies" we go
IIII
We beat down the bay for two days
or more
Till the winds drove us down on the bold Yarmouth shore
Our foresail to pieces while we "ware ship" is rent
But another good sail in it's place soon is bent,
V
The wild "Petite
"passage" lay under our lee
Either we must run through it or lost we shall be
Either we must run through it from the frost and the snow
Or away to the Eastward we never shall go
VI
So now then Lay aft-every soul of
our crew
Stand by your "Clewgarnets" your mainsail up Clew
Jump start your main Jack and let your wheel flow
And flying away to the passage we go.
VII
We near it hope in each sailors
heart now beats high
Alternately "luff" and "Keep away" is the cry
We clear it. We fly from the frost & the snow.
And in triumph away to the Eastward we go.
VIII
But still there Cape Sable looms
out on our lee
Board your main tack and we'll stand out to sea
And now let the west winds more wildly blow
For before them in triumph to the Eastward we go
IX
Still wilder and wilder the good
west wind blows
Think our good starboard anchor is adrift from the boat
And our boatswain washed away with a wild [Gyfar - may be Gybe or
Jibe]
Still away far away far away to the Eastward we go
X
Our anchors secured we snugged
every sail
And ran 'fore the fury of that western gale
Away from New Brunswick and the [ice] & the snow
In the wild Ocean "Lillies" to the Eastward we go
We run fore the fury of that
western sea
Till our bulwarks are stove and life boats washed away
But the west wind is Blowing. so let each sheet flow
And away! far away! to the East ward we go.
Let her ride o'er the foam let her
bend to the blast
Thirteen knots are counted as each hour is past
Blow good wind and we fly from the frost and the snow
And in triumph away to the East ward we go
But Hark! the ship popps she is
struck by the sea
Our wheel is all smashed and taffrel rail washed away
Our foresail is split [Dump] and up it blew
As flying wildly away to the Eastward we go
Lay aft with your tackles lay aft
all our crew
Quick with your helm up before we come to
There away she goes off 'fore her deadly foe
Like lightning away to the East ward we go
These lines are most respectfully dedicated to the Captain & passengers of the ship "Lillies" and will be concluded on arrival in the Mersey.
-- Clew-garnet is the tackle used
to furl the lower square-sails.
-- "Till the bulwarks are stave" means till the
bulwarks are broken.
-- Taffrel rail or taffrail is the rail around transom of a ship.
Jane Frances James wrote Stansas while traveling on the Lilies on its maiden voyage from New Brunswick, Canada to Liverpool, England
