Ballads of Brave Deeds By H. D. Rawnsley. With a Frontispiece and Preface by G. F. Watts |
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The Wreck of the “Ocean Queen”
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 | Ballads of Brave Deeds |  |
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The Wreck of the “Ocean Queen”
TO THE HEROES OF COLWYN BAY—Nov. 7, 1890
During the great gale of November 7th, 1890, the “Ocean-Queen,” a schooner bound from Padstow to Runcorn, with a crew of four, struck on a rock one hundred and fifty yards from the shore opposite Llandulas Quarry. Their boat was stove in by the sea, and the Llandulas life-boat had been so damaged by recent service as to be unfit for use. But a small cobble was launched from the beach by the quarrymen, and after being beaten back six times succeeded at the seventh in making its way alongside and bringing the crew safe to land. The names of these gallant fellows were John Jones, John Roberts, and William Williams, quarrymen, and William Williams, shopkeeper.
Men of Cornwall! men of Devon!
Listen well!
For if ever wind of Heaven
Blew a hurricane from Hell,
It was when November's night
Broke with Colwyn Bay in sight,
And we saw Llandula's Head above the swell.
Listen well!
For if ever wind of Heaven
Blew a hurricane from Hell,
It was when November's night
Broke with Colwyn Bay in sight,
And we saw Llandula's Head above the swell.
“Sheer away, boys, sheer away!”
The captain roared—
“God preserve us from the Bay!”
As he spoke, the tempest's sword
Smote our topsail into shreds,
Brought the gear about our heads,
And our foremast went like tinder by the board.
The captain roared—
“God preserve us from the Bay!”
As he spoke, the tempest's sword
Smote our topsail into shreds,
Brought the gear about our heads,
And our foremast went like tinder by the board.
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Then the skipper girt a rope
Round his waist.
“While there's life!” he cried, “there's hope!
Lash me fast;—I have outfaced
Fifty storms, but run aground,
With a keel and cargo sound?
Never, men! for death were better to my taste!”
Round his waist.
“While there's life!” he cried, “there's hope!
Lash me fast;—I have outfaced
Fifty storms, but run aground,
With a keel and cargo sound?
Never, men! for death were better to my taste!”
And we three, who through the wrack
Saw the land,
With the quarry yawning black,
Turned our faces from the strand,
Gave up thought of home again,
Though the grey fields glimmered plain,
And cruel seemed our captain's stern command.
Saw the land,
With the quarry yawning black,
Turned our faces from the strand,
Gave up thought of home again,
Though the grey fields glimmered plain,
And cruel seemed our captain's stern command.
But the tide was with the wind,
And the waves
Swept us shoreward, reeling blind,
Dashed our one boat into staves,
As we went round, in a ring,
Like a bird, with broken wing—
Well we knew Llandula's shore should be our graves.
And the waves
Swept us shoreward, reeling blind,
Dashed our one boat into staves,
As we went round, in a ring,
Like a bird, with broken wing—
Well we knew Llandula's shore should be our graves.
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Then we struck, and leapt, and struck,
“Hands aloft!”
So we scrambled to the truck,
Dazed; but never half so soft
Seemed we, dying men, to hear
Our wives' welcome, and the cheer
Of the children's voices calling from the croft.
“Hands aloft!”
So we scrambled to the truck,
Dazed; but never half so soft
Seemed we, dying men, to hear
Our wives' welcome, and the cheer
Of the children's voices calling from the croft.
How the water's fury flew
O'er the mast!
How the wind benumbing blew!
But our girdles held us fast;
How the hail cut like a knife,
As we swung and clung for life,
Almost praying that our time to feel were past!
O'er the mast!
How the wind benumbing blew!
But our girdles held us fast;
How the hail cut like a knife,
As we swung and clung for life,
Almost praying that our time to feel were past!
In a lull we heard the clock
Tolling ten;
And we watched the people flock
From the quarry and the glen,
Like a torrent to the beach
Cheering, calling each to each,
Racing forward to our rescue, gallant men!
Tolling ten;
And we watched the people flock
From the quarry and the glen,
Like a torrent to the beach
Cheering, calling each to each,
Racing forward to our rescue, gallant men!
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Where's the boat? A mile away,
Beached and dry!
Thro' the sea-smoke of the bay
Runners bring it shoulder-high;
Dare they launch that cockle-shell
On the hurly of the swell,
Through this hurricane of hell? Let them try!
Beached and dry!
Thro' the sea-smoke of the bay
Runners bring it shoulder-high;
Dare they launch that cockle-shell
On the hurly of the swell,
Through this hurricane of hell? Let them try!
Off with clogs! and on with coat!
Fearless four!
See they leap into the boat,
Little trained to use of oar,
But accustomed long to death,
Strong of sinew, full of breath,
Trained to nerve in that dark quarry by the shore.
Fearless four!
See they leap into the boat,
Little trained to use of oar,
But accustomed long to death,
Strong of sinew, full of breath,
Trained to nerve in that dark quarry by the shore.
Then we heard a ringing cheer,
Well we knew
Love had triumphed over fear!
And a boat rose full in view,—
But a billow roaring under
Hurled it high ashore with thunder,
While the oars from out their hands like feathers flew.
Well we knew
Love had triumphed over fear!
And a boat rose full in view,—
But a billow roaring under
Hurled it high ashore with thunder,
While the oars from out their hands like feathers flew.
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Again, and once again,
Driven back!
Then they signalled, but in vain,
“Loose a life-buoy, let the slack
Whirl a line ashore, or snatch
Help we send you by this match,”
And a rocket screamed out seaward through the wrack,
Driven back!
Then they signalled, but in vain,
“Loose a life-buoy, let the slack
Whirl a line ashore, or snatch
Help we send you by this match,”
And a rocket screamed out seaward through the wrack,
Soared, and fell far short and sank.
Try the boat!
So they ran it down the bank,
And our captain waved a coat,
Left his perch upon the mast,
Overboard a ladder cast—
And we watched which way our chance of life would float.
Try the boat!
So they ran it down the bank,
And our captain waved a coat,
Left his perch upon the mast,
Overboard a ladder cast—
And we watched which way our chance of life would float.
But the malice of the sea
Worked our doom;
For he paid his line out free
But it tangled in a boom,
Then we knew and felt His hand,
That would bring us safe to land,
And we heard a voice not mortal thro' the gloom.
Worked our doom;
For he paid his line out free
But it tangled in a boom,
Then we knew and felt His hand,
That would bring us safe to land,
And we heard a voice not mortal thro' the gloom.
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It was easy now to die,
Soon or late,
Sooner best—but hark! a cry!
For the seventh time they wait
Till the huge sea backward coil,
Then with courage nought can foil,
Forth the landmen push to rescue us from fate.
Soon or late,
Sooner best—but hark! a cry!
For the seventh time they wait
Till the huge sea backward coil,
Then with courage nought can foil,
Forth the landmen push to rescue us from fate.
And the boat rode forward brave,
Rose and sank;
Till an overwhelming wave
Dashed it back with gride of plank
On a rock—God help the lost!
Half the awful passage crossed!
And our eyes met one another's — hopeless — blank.
Rose and sank;
Till an overwhelming wave
Dashed it back with gride of plank
On a rock—God help the lost!
Half the awful passage crossed!
And our eyes met one another's — hopeless — blank.
But from out the cloud of foam
Straight the four,
Never looking once for home,
Lifted keel, and bent the oar;
Clomb up wearily the crest,
Swept down cheerily the breast,
Dropped alongside—and I scarce remember more.
Straight the four,
Never looking once for home,
Lifted keel, and bent the oar;
Clomb up wearily the crest,
Swept down cheerily the breast,
Dropped alongside—and I scarce remember more.
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But I know I left the mast,
Felt a hand;
Heard a hoarse voice bid them cast
Wreckage clear, then give command—
“Home, boys, home!”—and then the rush
Of a breaker, and the crush,
And the cheer of hearts that welcomed us to land.
Felt a hand;
Heard a hoarse voice bid them cast
Wreckage clear, then give command—
“Home, boys, home!”—and then the rush
Of a breaker, and the crush,
And the cheer of hearts that welcomed us to land.
Wake again, the harp of Wales,
As of yore!
Long as storm shall rend the sails,
And Atlantic billows roar,—
Long as wrecks ashore are rolled,
Shall your dauntless deed be told,
Gallant heroes of the quarry by the shore.
As of yore!
Long as storm shall rend the sails,
And Atlantic billows roar,—
Long as wrecks ashore are rolled,
Shall your dauntless deed be told,
Gallant heroes of the quarry by the shore.
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