Classic Poem

1

Come all you brave young shanty-boys,
I pray you all draw near,
'Tis of a frightful accident
That I would have you hear.

2

'Tis of a young and comely youth,
James Whaland he was called,
Got drownded from Le Claron's raft,
All on the upper falls.

3

The water being in its raging course,
The river rolling high,
When the foreman to young Whaland said,
" The jam you'll have to try. "

4

As they were rolling off the logs,
Young Whaland made a shout:
" To shore, to shore, my shanty-boys,
The jam is going out! "

5

Those mighty logs went end on end,
With fearful crashing sound,
And when the shanty-boys looked back,
Young Whaland had gone down.

6

The foaming waters tore and tossed
The logs from shore to shore,
And here and there his body lies,
A-tumbling o'er and o'er.