Tale Of The Kennebec Mariner by Tim Sample Lyrics
My other favorite from the Holman day books
A classic tale of seafaring on the rivers of Maine
Called the Tale of the Kennebec Mariner
I guess I never told you sonny
Of the stranding and the wreck of the steamboat Ezra Johnson
That run down the Kennebec
It was before the days of steam cars
And the Johnson fit the bill
On the route between Augusta and the town of Waterville
Now she was built old fashioned model
With a bottom (?)
And a paddle wheel behind it
Drove by one great big churning arm
Couldn't say that she was speedy
Oh she sploshed alonge and made a (?)
But she couldn't move much faster
Than a man could tow a house
Still she skipped and skimmed tremendous
Dodged the rocks and scourned the shoals
In the ways the boats of these days
Couldn't do to save their soul
Didn't draw no bounce of water
Went on top of the water instead of through
That's how it come to happen what I'm going to tell you
Now there ain't no need to keep you guessing
For I'm sure you'll not suspect
How that thundering old Ez Johnson
Happened to get wrecked
We was overdue one evening
Fog come down most awful thick
It was about like navigating round inside a (?)
Proper (?) was to anchor but
She seemed to run alright
So we humped her
I know it was risky
Things went on alright til morning
Then along 'round half past three
That ship went dizzy, blind, and crazy
Waves the worst you ever seen
Up she went, down she sucttered
Sometimes seemed to stand on end
Then she'd wallupsi
Sideways, crossways and all ways
By gosh to send shivers down your spine
Then she'd teeter
Fetch a spring, then take a bounce
Then sit down sir on her haunches
With a most (?) jounce
Folks got up and run a-screaming
Forced the wheelhouse and grabbed at me
Thought we'd missed Augusta landing
And run clean out to sea
Fairly shot me full of questions
But I said
Oh it was just a blow
Still that didn't seem to sooth them
Cause there wasn't no wind you know
Yes sir, spite of all that pounding
Wasn't a whisper of a breeze
No excuse for all that upset
In them strange and dreadful seas
Couldn't spy a thing around us
Everything was pitchy black
And I couldn't seem to comfort
Them poor critters on my back
Couldn't see a thing beneath us
Cause was dark (?)
Couldn't tell them nothing 'bout it
Cause I didn't know myself
So I grabbed the Johnson's tiller
Kept the rudder rigged tight
Kept a praying, chawed tobacco
Give her steam and let her swat
Now my friend
Just listen steady
When the sun come out at four
We weren't tossing in the breakers
Off some stern and rockbound shore
No
We'd missed the (?) river
And I sweat this here is true
We had sailed eight miles
Cross-country on a heavy autumn dew
And there we was clean up in Sydney
And the tossing and the rolls
Simply happened cause we tackled
Several miles of cradle knolls
Well the sun come out
Dried the dew up
And there she was, a stranded wreck
And they sold me $18 package
Back to the Kennebec
Thank you very much
Thank you
Thank you very much
Goodnight
A classic tale of seafaring on the rivers of Maine
Called the Tale of the Kennebec Mariner
I guess I never told you sonny
Of the stranding and the wreck of the steamboat Ezra Johnson
That run down the Kennebec
It was before the days of steam cars
And the Johnson fit the bill
On the route between Augusta and the town of Waterville
Now she was built old fashioned model
With a bottom (?)
And a paddle wheel behind it
Drove by one great big churning arm
Couldn't say that she was speedy
Oh she sploshed alonge and made a (?)
But she couldn't move much faster
Than a man could tow a house
Still she skipped and skimmed tremendous
Dodged the rocks and scourned the shoals
In the ways the boats of these days
Couldn't do to save their soul
Didn't draw no bounce of water
Went on top of the water instead of through
That's how it come to happen what I'm going to tell you
Now there ain't no need to keep you guessing
For I'm sure you'll not suspect
How that thundering old Ez Johnson
Happened to get wrecked
We was overdue one evening
Fog come down most awful thick
It was about like navigating round inside a (?)
Proper (?) was to anchor but
She seemed to run alright
So we humped her
I know it was risky
Things went on alright til morning
Then along 'round half past three
That ship went dizzy, blind, and crazy
Waves the worst you ever seen
Up she went, down she sucttered
Sometimes seemed to stand on end
Then she'd wallupsi
Sideways, crossways and all ways
By gosh to send shivers down your spine
Then she'd teeter
Fetch a spring, then take a bounce
Then sit down sir on her haunches
With a most (?) jounce
Folks got up and run a-screaming
Forced the wheelhouse and grabbed at me
Thought we'd missed Augusta landing
And run clean out to sea
Fairly shot me full of questions
But I said
Oh it was just a blow
Still that didn't seem to sooth them
Cause there wasn't no wind you know
Yes sir, spite of all that pounding
Wasn't a whisper of a breeze
No excuse for all that upset
In them strange and dreadful seas
Couldn't spy a thing around us
Everything was pitchy black
And I couldn't seem to comfort
Them poor critters on my back
Couldn't see a thing beneath us
Cause was dark (?)
Couldn't tell them nothing 'bout it
Cause I didn't know myself
So I grabbed the Johnson's tiller
Kept the rudder rigged tight
Kept a praying, chawed tobacco
Give her steam and let her swat
Now my friend
Just listen steady
When the sun come out at four
We weren't tossing in the breakers
Off some stern and rockbound shore
No
We'd missed the (?) river
And I sweat this here is true
We had sailed eight miles
Cross-country on a heavy autumn dew
And there we was clean up in Sydney
And the tossing and the rolls
Simply happened cause we tackled
Several miles of cradle knolls
Well the sun come out
Dried the dew up
And there she was, a stranded wreck
And they sold me $18 package
Back to the Kennebec
Thank you very much
Thank you
Thank you very much
Goodnight