Christmas at Sea

[00:07.15] The sheets were frozen hard, and they cut the naked hand

[00:10.91] The decks were like a slide, where a seamen scarce could stand

[00:14.65] The wind was a nor'wester, blowing squally off the sea

[00:18.41] And the cliffs and spouting breakers were the only things a-lee

[00:22.65] They heard the surf a-roaring before the break of day

[00:26.15] But 'twas only with the peep of light we saw how ill we lay

[00:30.15] We tumbled every hand on deck instanter, with a shout

[00:33.65] And we gave her the maintops'l, and stood by to go about

[00:37.90] All day we tacked and tacked between the South Head and the North

[00:41.65] All day we hauled the frozen sheets, and got no further forth

[00:45.40] All day as cold as charity, in bitter pain and dread

[00:49.15] For very life and nature we tacked from head to head

[00:53.15] We gave the South a wider berth, for there the tide-race roared

[00:56.90] But every tack we made we brought the North Head close aboard

[01:00.65] We saw the cliffs and houses, and the breakers running high

[01:04.65] And the coastguard in his garden, with his glass against his eye

[01:08.65] The frost was on the village roofs as white as ocean foam

[01:12.22] The good red fires were burning bright in every 'long-shore home

[01:16.21] The windows sparkled clear, and the chimneys volleyed out

[01:19.72] And I vow we sniffed the victuals as the vessel went about

[01:23.97] The bells upon the church were rung with a mighty jovial cheer

[01:27.46] For it's just that I should tell you how (of all days in the year)

[01:31.47] This day of our adversity was blessed Christmas morn

[01:35.22] And the house above the coastguard's was the house where I was born

[01:39.21] O well I saw the pleasant room, the pleasant faces there

[01:42.96] My mother's silver spectacles, my father's silver hair

[01:46.71] And well I saw the firelight, like a flight of homely elves

[01:50.72] Go dancing round the china-plates that stand upon the shelves

[01:54.47] And well I knew the talk they had, the talk that was of me

[01:58.22] Of the shadow on the household and the son that went to sea

[02:02.21] And O the wicked fool I seemed, in every kind of way

[02:05.96] To be here and hauling frozen ropes on blessed Christmas Day

[02:18.47] They lit the high sea-light, and the dark began to fall

[02:22.21] "All hands to loose topgallant sails," I heard the captain call

[02:26.21] "By the Lord, she'll never stand it," our first mate Jackson, cried

[02:29.96] ... "It's the one way or the other, Mr. Jackson," he replied

[02:33.97] She staggered to her bearings, but the sails were new and good

[02:37.71] And the ship smelt up to windward just as though she understood

[02:41.47] As the winter's day was ending, in the entry of the night

[02:45.71] We cleared the weary headland, and passed below the light

[02:49.21] And they heaved a mighty breath, every soul on board but me

[02:52.96] As they saw her nose again pointing handsome out to sea

[02:56.71] But all that I could think of, in the darkness and the cold

[03:00.96] Was just that I was leaving home and my folks were growing old