Dere’s white ladies on Binyard’s boat,
So he let you pass dis time—
“But keep out ob de way, steamboat,
When no white ladies wid him;
He sink you sure, little steamboat;
He sink you wid his oar!”
As soon as they cleared Ashley River, and got fairly around the bend and into Stono River, they met many boats coming from John, James, and Edisto Islands, and then invariably the singing began, the leading boat flinging out the challenge,
“Gwine to hang up de sword in Zion?”
and the rest answering,
“Yes, Lord! ’Tis a great camp meeting