THE KEEL ROW.
Weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, and better may she speed:
Weel may the keel row, the keel row, the keel row,
Weel may the keel row, that gets the bairns their breed.
We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
Up to the dyke, up to the dyke,
We teuk wor keel up to the dyke,
And there we gat her load;
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
Down to Shields, down to Shields,
Then sail'd away down to Shields,
And shipp'd wor coals abroad.
Singing—Weel may the keel row, &c.
Then we row'd away up to the fest,
Up to the fest, up to the fest,
We row'd away up to the fest,
Cheerly every man;
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
And moor'd wor keel, and moor'd wor keel,
Pat by wor gear and moor'd wor keel,
Then went and drank wor can,
Singing—Weel may the keel row, &c.
Our canny wives, our clean fireside,
Our bonny bairns, their parents' pride,
Sweet smiles that make life smoothly glide,
We find when we gan hyem:
They'll work for us when we get au'd,
They'll keep us frae the winter's cau'd;
As life declines they'll us uphaud—
When young we uphaud them.
Weel may the keel row, &c.
THE BARBER'S NEWS;
Or, Shields in an Uproar.
Great was the consternation, amazement, and dismay, sir,
Which both in North and South Shields, prevail'd the other day, sir;
Quite panic-struck the natives were, when told by the Barber,
That a terrible Sea Monster had got into the harbour.
"Have you heard the news, sir?" What news, pray, Master Barber?
"Oh a terrible Sea Monster has got into the harbour!"
Now each honest man in Shields—I mean both North and South, sir,
Delighting in occasions to expand their eyes and mouth, sir:
And, fond of seeing marv'lous sights, ne'er staid to get his beard off;
But ran to view the Monster, its arrival when he heard of.
Oh! who could think of shaving when inform'd by the Barber,
That a terrible Sea Monster had got into the harbour.