The Loss of The Jessie Smith
Nathan Smith "Mis"
Opprest by grief to set in rhyme,
The sorrows of a stormy time;
Then tossing billows high and bleak,
Strews our beach with many a wreck.
Winter scarcely gives a blast,
But some fireside is vacent cast;
A wife, a daughter's heart forlorn,
A husband, son, or father torn.
But to my tale the day was bright,
The sun had shone, all hearts were light;
The boat from Buckie sailed away
To fish the cod in Northern Bay.
Amongst the rest, called "Jessle Smith",
With boat well manned and hearts of mirth;
Adieu to all upon the shore
Not thlnklng of their last explore.
The children waved their hands full high,
The fathers' waved them back good bye;
The mothers' look betokened more
And prayed to bring them save to shore.
On Tuesday morning, black and grim,
The clouds had gathered dark and dim;
The boats were forty miles from shore
When caught amid the stormy squall.
A heavy Eastern gale did blow,
Sometimes with rain and heavy snow;
The fishing boats had reefed their sails,
And laboured hard amon the gale
The "Jessie Smith" had reefed her sails
When caught amid that fearful gale,
They hoist the mizen for the shore,
Alas that place they'll see no more.
John, William, and Joseph too,
Formed part of that sad crew:
Three brothers of one family dear,
With hearts so true and void of fear.
A father and a son were they,
Who perished on that fatal day:
The other married three we sigh,
Their families are left in tears to cry.
A sea arose both high and wide,
And threw the boat on her broadside;
Two other seas with angry roar
Engulfed them all to rise no more.
A boat had witnessed all this scene;
Which passed just like a midnight dream;
They saw her sink and rise no more,
And brought the tidings to the shore.
Such sorrows in a fisher's home,
When all dear to them on earth is gone;
It's only God can comfort there,
And hear the widow and orphans' praycrs,
A lesson here is to us all,
Be ready at the Master's call;
And if our souls be ready here,
When death comes nigh we need not fear,
'Tis God that lifts our comforts high,
Or sinks them in the grave;
He gives, and when he takes away,
He takes but what he gave.