Songs from the Age of Steam

Ye people of Scotland, I pray give attention
A sad dismal story you quickly shall hear
Concerning the wreck of the steam-ship 'Hibernia'
Which from New York city for Glasgow did steer.
On the fourteenth of November she sailed for Glasgow -
The 'Hibernia' so proudly dashed o'er the salt waves,
With 181 persons on board of that vessel
Nearly sixty of whom met a watery grave.

The 'Hibernia' steamed over the wild surging waters,
That night it was stormy, and dark was the sky.
They were in good hopes that they might reach Glasgow,
They little did think that death was so night.
The snow and the sleet so thickly was falling
No land and no vessels appeared to their view,
When the screw it did break, upon that fatal morning;
And terror it struck both passenger and crew

Captain Munro stood on bard the 'Hibernia'
Till he saw that the vessel no longer would float;
By his gallant behaviour and noble exertions,
He got them all safely into the life boats,
He was the last man to leave the 'Hibernia'
He did all his endeavours their lives for to save;
James Dickie the purser, and brave David Burgess,
We fear they have all met a watery grave.
Alexander M'Neill, and brave Duncan Clelland,
With Charles M'Timminey, their loss we deplore
Also William Forgie, belonging to Glasgow-
These brave gallant heroes we'll never see more.

Many a tear will be shed for those people,
Their friends and relations in sorrow do mourn,
For little they thought when the news came that morning,
That those they loved dearly would never return.
I'd have you consider before that you venture
Or entrust your lives to the merciless waves
And think on the loss of the steam-ship 'Hibernia'
How many were doomed to a watery grave!