atlantic guardian

CR OSSIN) (BLA CKHEAD (BA Y
Sundown when we left the Port,
bound across the bay,
Close hauled with the topsails set,
standin' out to sea,
Deck load level with the rail,
hardly room to walk,
Half the crew was loaded up,
couldn't hardly talk,
Hangin' round the weather rail,
sick as they could be,
So we set her on her course, on to
Blackhead Bay.
Starboard Watch stayed up on
deck, Port Watch went below,
Steerin' Eastward, till the wind
started up to blow,
Drivin' thru' the heavy swell, like
a frightened mule
Canvas !lappin' in the wind,
couldn't keep her full,
Water rushin' round the logs,
carried them away,
Lost our deck load overboard,
crossin' Blackhead Bay.
Misty night and bitter cold, rollin'
like a log,
Lookout on the for'ead deck
peerin' through the fog,
Bundled up with oil skins, fightin'
thro' the gale
Bosun calls all hands on deck,
time to shorten sail,
Main boom draggin' overboard,
oroke our topmast stay
Riggin' hangin' from aloft, crossin'
Blackhead Bay.
48
by ELI MILES
Cut away the mainmast then,
dumped it in the s"a,
Hauled the jib and ,taysail down,
let her wear awny,
Decks awash and bulwarks gonl2::,
sick men in the bunks,
Skipper told the cross-eyed Mate,
try and man the pumps,
Davits gone and boat adrift, galley
washed away,
Double reefed the fo'sail then,
crossin' Blackhead Bay.
Combers breakin' o'er her stern,
makin' water fast,
Foremast swayin' with swell, tried
to make it fast,
Oakum spewin' from her seams
over half the deck,
Lashed the bosun to the wheel,
fioatin' to his neck,
Runnin I 'fore a north east gale on
the twelfth of May,
Had to beach her in the Cove up
in Blackhead Bay.
So listen now you Sailor Men, a
warning take from me,
Be sober when you leave the Port
to venture out to sea,
Don't never ship a cross-eyed mate
or carry too much sail,
And never pile a deck load too
high above the rail,
Be sure to shorten canvas before
it's blowed away,
Remember what a time we had
a-crossin' Blackhead Bay.
In 1858 the first Atlantic cable was laid at Bay Bulls Arm,
Trinity Bay. Owing to some difficulties, however, it ceased working
after five or six weeks. Eight years later, on July 21st, 1866,
the first successful landing of ocean cable was made at Heart's
Content, Trinity Bay. The great Cyrus K. Field was associated
with this venture, and in later years Heart's Content occupied an
important place in international telegraphic communications.
Until a few years ago a large number of men were employed in
Heart's Content, but with the advent of more modern methods of
transmission, a large decline in population took place.
ATLANTIC GUARDIAN