The Lass o' Lochryan describes the hapless voyage of a maiden mother in search of her love Gregory. In the particulars of sea-faring and the description of the vessel, Sir Patrick Spence is strongly recalled.
She has garred build a bonny ship;
It's a' covered o'er wi' pearl;
And at every needle-tack was in't
There hung a siller bell.
Let the reader revert to the description of the bier prepared for the seeming dead lady in the Gay Gos-hawk.
She had na sailed a league but twa,
Or scantly had she three,
Till she met wi' a rude rover,
Was sailing on the sea.