Now past Garden Island, and clear off the Sound, Make sail on the boat, pass the liquor around; Shift your seats, trim the boat, as she bends to the breeze, And light as a sea-gull skims over the seas; There’s a rest from the oar, while the fair breezes blow; And what’s that to any one, whether or no?
At six in the evening we sighted the bark, And we steered on her track till the evening grew dark, When a squall coming down, with its venomous blast, Almost swamped our good boat, as it tore out her mast; So all night on the billows we tossed to and fro; But what’s that to any one, whether or no?
Next morning at seven we raised her again, Topsails, mainsails and hull—we were nearing her plain, When we spied the Georgette, steaming out of the Sound, And we knew by her course for the bark she was bound; So we hauled down our sail, then lay to and lay low; But what’s that to any one, whether or no?
So the Georgette passed by bearing down on our ship; All safe for the present—now, boys, let her rip; Then we pulled in her wake for to see what she’d do, And beside the Catalpa we saw her heave to, And lay alongside her ten minutes or so; But what’s that to any one, whether or no?
See the Georgette steams off, and is running inshore; Make sail on the boat, out with paddle and oar; For with every sail set, on her course down the bay, The good ship Catalpa is bearing away. To gain on her now we’ve a hard row to hoe; But what’s that to any one, whether or no?
To follow our bark we were pulling amain, When we saw the Georgette coming for us again. In search of our boat she was steaming right back, And we almost despaired as we lay in her track; So we hauled down our sail and again we lay low; And what’s that to any one, whether or no?
Still nearer and nearer the steamer came on, And our plan of escape seemed all shattered and gone; Hope faded away to a very small speck, As we saw her lookout and the men on her deck; But she passed us unseen—Fate had ordered it so; And what’s that to any one, whether or no?
So the steamer passed on, and was soon out of sight; Boys, now for the bark, we must catch her ere night; Every stroke is for freedom—pull fast, and pull strong— Pull, fellows, together and send her along; See the bark change her course, heading for us I trow; And what’s that to any one, whether or no?
It was two in the evening, and everything clear, The bark coming to us, and nothing to fear, When a sail on our lee, standing out from the shore, Set us pulling our strongest with paddle and oar; It’s a race for the ship, men; then row, bullies, row! But what’s that to any one, whether or no?
With the sail on our lee, heading on for the ship, We pulled strong and steady, and gave her the slip; For beside the Catalpa we tossed oars at three, With the water-police boat close up on her lee. Quick on deck now, my lads! It was just “touch and go;” But what’s that to any one, whether or no?