Lines. On the Appalling Shipwreck of the S.S. Atlantic, On the morning of April 1, 1873, on Meagher's Head, near Prospect, N.S.

About this Item

Hand-written composition of 25 8-line stanzas on 12 pages, sewn into original blotting card. A remarkable, likely unique survival of this version in manuscript of one of the ballads commemorating the sinking of the S. S. Atlantic, 1 April 1873. Broadsides on the disaster quickly appeared, though it seems few survive (e.g. "Wreck of the Atlantic" issued by A.W. Auner, Philadelphia, Pa., [1873] held at Brown and the NS Legislative Library). Contemporary manuscript compositions are nearly unheard-of. A comprehensive reference of compositions on the disaster is given by Anna Kearney Guigné in 'The Forgotten Songs of the Newfoundland Outports' [UOP 2016, 242f]. Morgiana P. Halley had noted known print versions in her 1989 MA thesis "Marine Disasters in Newfoundland Folk Balladry" [Memorial University] including the two variants in Kenneth Peacock's 'Songs of the Newfoundland Outports' - one of which, with title identical to ours, was transcribed from a xerox copy of "a handwritten MS in nineteenth century copperplate script. . The text of the manuscript version ends rather abruptly, leading one to believe it may not be complete" [Halley: 184f]. Closest to our example is that collected by Roy Mackenzie from the singing and recitation of Robert Langille of Tatamagouche, NS and printed 1928 in 'Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia'. It has 49 4-line stanzas, and is missing the final line of the 38th stanza. The Mackenzie transcription and our MS follow the same general wording, with numerous small differences inevitable, though not necessarily unconsidered, in oral tradition. Notably our scribe, writing closer to the event, got the names right: Third Officer Brady in ours, became Brodie in Mackenzie. And the one youth who survived, John Hindley (as in ours), is John Andrew in Mackenzie. Our example has a four-line stanza not in Mackenzie (after his 13th). And the line lacking in Mackenzie's 38th is present here. Mackenzie has no line/stanza that is not in ours. Three examples of differences: MS: "Dear friends come hear the mournful tale, The loss which we deplore, Of the gallant ship "Atlantic," Wrecked on Nova Scotia's shore, A most terrific accident Befel that fated ship, As she approached our rocky shore, On her way across the deep." [re. authorship/origin note "our rocky shore"]. The Mackenzie version: "Dear friends, come listen to the tale, The loss which we deplore, Of the gallant ship "Atlantic" lost On Nova Scotia's shore. The most terrific accident Befell that fated ship, As she approached those rocky shores, On her way across the deep." MS: "Among the men of Prospect shore, Who risked a watery grave, And spurred up those around him, The shipwrecked men to save, Was their kind and loving clergyman, Mr. Ancient is his name, Whose deeds deserve to be engraved Upon the roll of fame." [NB: "is" vs "was"] Mackenzie: "Amongst the men on Prospect shore Who risked a watery grave, And spurred the men around him The shipwrecked men to save, Was their kind and loving clergyman, Mr. Ancient was his name; his name deserves to be enrolled Upon a list of fame." MS: "Ah! never may those cruel rocks, Another victim gain, Let Light-Ships guard our rocky coast, For those who cross the main. For those who perished in the deep We give a Christian grave, Our joy would have been greater far, Had we the power to save." Mackenzie: "Oh, never may those cruel rocks Another victim gain. Let life ships guard our rocky coast, .[missing line]. To those who perished in the deep We give a friendly grave. Our joys would aye be greater far Had we the power to save." For the "AIR - John Anderson, my Jo" see Robert Burns. 7.5 x 5 inches. Pencil numbering of each stanza and page. Accumulated thumbing to right side recto, as if frequently used. Ship in black mourning border inked at foot of last page. Seller Inventory # Books015531

Bibliographic Details

Title: Lines. On the Appalling Shipwreck of the S.S...

Binding: Card covers

Condition: Very Good