Louisiana Lowlands- Haddow (ON) c1883 Creighton
[In The Louisiana Lowlands (pub. 1859) is a minstrel parody of Child 286, however the verse about the boy with the auger does not appear in that song, instead it's found about ten years later in college songs books under the title "Lowlands." Creighton's singer must have been familiar with both songs and combined them adding another nonsense verse as well. Here are Creighton's notes:
"See Sweet Trinity: or The Golden Vanity (Vallady) in this volume, of which the third stanza of this song is evidently a parody. The first stanza is from an old minstrel song. Words and music contributed by Prof. A. McMechan, Halifax."
As far as I know only one other version of Louisiana Lowlands has been collected and it's not a good version (see Flanders). I'm providing excepts of both songs to see where Haddow got his lyrics.
R. Matteson 2014]
In the Louisiana Lowlands, Song and Chorus. Oliver Ditson Publisher, Boston: 1859. Words and Music Anonymous.
1. Way down in Louisiana,
Not many years ago,
There liv'd a color'd gemblum,
His name was Pompy Snow,
He play'd upon de banjo
And on de tambourine,
And for rattling of the bones he was
The greatest ever seen
In the Louisiana lowlands lowlands low,
In the Louisiana lowlands low.
CHORUS
In the Louisiana lowlands, lowlands low,
In the Louisiana lowlands low.
2. One night old Pompy started off,
To play for Ceasar Clum,
But afore he went he fortified,
With a good stout glass of rum;
When on the road he thought he saw
A darkey, tall and grim,
So Pompy laid the banjo down
Tto break the darkey's shin;
In the Louisiana lowlands lowlands low,
In the Louisiana lowlands low.
LOWLANDS- From Carmina Collegensia: a complete collection of the songs of the American Colleges edited by Henry Randall Waite; Boston: Oliver Ditson 1868. Words and Music Anonymous.
A boy he had an auger,
That bored two holes at once;
A boy he had an auger,
That bored two holes at once;
And some were playing cards,
And some were throwing dice,
The boy upset the tea-kettle
And drownded all the mice.
CHORUS.
As we sailed along the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
As we sailed along the lowlands low.
And we buried him in the lowlands, lowlands, lowlands,
And we buried him in the lowlands low.
Oh Pompey was the greatest man
That ever yet was born,
And Pompey was the greatest man
That ever yet was born;
For he could play the banjo,
And on the tambourine,
At rattling of the bones he was
The greatest ever seen.
Louisiana Lowlands- As sung by Robert Haddow in Knox College, Toronto, circa 1883.
1. Wav down Louisiana, boys, not many years ago,
There lived a coloured gentleman whose name was Pompey Snow.
This Pompey Snow he started to have a little fun,
And first he thought he'd refresh himself with a good stiff glass of rum.
Chorus.
So they buried him in the Lowlands, Lowlands,
In the Louisiana Lowlands, low.
In the Louisiana Lowlands, Lowlands,
In the Louisiana Lowlands, low.
2. The fire-bells are ringing, boys, there is a fire in town ;
The hook-and-ladder company is first upon the ground ;
The Phoenix she is ready, the volunteers are here,
The steamer she is left behind, and without her engineer. (Chorus)
3. This little boy had an augu-er that bored two holes at once,
This little boy had an augu-er that bored two holes at once,
And some were shuffling cards, and some were rattling dice-
This little boy turned his head around and he blew out all the lights. (Chorus)