The New York Trader- 1919 Mackenzie
[From: The Quest of the Ballad by William Roy Mackenzie 1919. Reprinted in Ballads and Songs from Nova Scotia, 1928. His notes follow. Sung by Peter Hines; Tatmagouche, Colchester County, Nova Scotia.
R. Matteson 2014]
Another Dream Ballad, composed on a motif that will be recognized by everyone who reads his Bible, is "The New York Trader." It differs from the conventional ballads of the class in that the dreamer is the criminal himself, and he reveals his guilt to a friend under the influence of the fear which has been imposed on him by the dream. This one is fairly brief, and I should like to quote it in full:
To a New York trader I did belong.
She was well built, both stout and strong.
Well rigged, well manned, well fit for sea,
Bound for New York in America.
Our cruel captain, you do understand,
Meant to starve us before we made the land.
At length our hunger grew very great.
We had but little on board to eat.
Being in necessity,
All by our captain's cruelty,
Our captain in the cabin lay;
He dreamt a dream, those words did say:
"Prepare yourselves and ship's company,
For tomorrow night you must he with me."
Our captain awoke in a terrible fright,
It being the first watch of that night.
Loud for the bos'n he did call,
And to him related his secret all.
"Captain," said he, "if this be so,
O let none of your ship's crew know,
But keep your secrets in your breast,
And pray to God to give you rest."
"There is one thing more I have to tell.
When I in Waterford town did dwell
1 killed my master, a merchant there,
All for the sake of his lady fair.
"I killed my wife and children three
All through that cursed jealousy,
And on my servant laid the blame,
And hanged he was for the same."
Early next morning a storm did rise,
Which caused the seamen much surprise.
The sea broke over us fore and aft
Till scarce a man on the deck was left.
Then the bos'n he did declare
Our captain was a murderer.
That so enraged all the ship's crew,
They overboard their captain threw.
When this was done a calm was there.
Our good light ship homeward did steer.
The wind abated and calmed the sea,
And we sailed safe to America.
And when we came to anchor there,
Our good light ship for to repair,
The people wondered much to see
What poor distressed shipwreck were we.