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Mrs Susan Colley Bathurst Home for the Aged Recorded 1973
Sailor's GraveOur barque was far far from landWhere the bravest of our gallant band Grew deadly pale and waned away Like the twilight light of an autumn day We watched him through the long hours of pain Our fears were great and our hopes in vain Death's stroke he gave no coward's alarm But smiled and died on his mess-mates arm We had no costly winding sheet So we placed two round shots at his feet Our prayers were echoed o'er the wave Then he was fit for a sailor's grave Our voices were dull and our hearts were weak Not a tear was seen on the brownest cheek Nor a quiver that played on the lip of pride As we rolled him down by the ship's dark side A splash and a plunge and all was o'er And the billows rolled as they rolled before |