THE GREET BOAT RACE

For the Championshionship 0' the Tyne an' £400, Sept. 5 and 6, 1864.

TRUN- "The Hairr," or" Hop Light Loo."

THE aud bridge groan'd as tho it thowt
Its end wes noo drawn near;
The level creakt and squeakt beneath
The weight it had te beer;
The steamers rowld frae side te side,
An' ivry boat wes full,
When Chambers, ov aquatic fame,
An' Cooper had te pull.

Korus

Pull, lads, pull! like leetnin wi' the tide!
Pull, lads, pull! the victry te decide!
Pull, lads, pull !-Iet pluck an' skill combine
Te show the world thor's nyen can touch
The Champion 0' the Tyne!

Ne fear 0' cheat or false defeat
Wes iv a breest that day,
For spite wad myek them pull for fairs
An' anxshus for the fray;
The river, like a heavy sea,
Myed ivry beetin heart
Quake when they saw sic fearless men
Pull. near the bridge te start.

Thor off! gud grashus what a shoot
Wes sent frae shore te shore,
The time-gun i' the Cassel Garth
Cud nivor cawse sic stir,
For like two swift locomotives
Byeth try te gain the lead,
Wi' quickind spurt, 'mid roarin cheers
Bob Chambers gans a-heed.

The champion wi' masheen-like stroke
Dash'd bravely throo the spray,
While Cooper, game as man cud be,
Tried hard te win the day,
When Chambers, throo the warst 0' luck,
Ran foul agyen two keels,
But full 0' steam-he's affagyen,
An' close at Cooper's heels.

Thor level noo,-but throo the storm
Grim danger claim'd the race,
For efter byeth the men had fould
A fearful scene teuk place,
Bob Chambers' boat wes sinkin fast,
The race that day wes deun,
Then foaks begun wi' clattrin tung
To argie byeth had wun.

The next day wi' the tide still ruff,
They had thor second spin,
Frae start te finish Chambers led,
The better man te win,
An' proov'd thor's not a man alive,
That can wi' him contend;
But speak weel 0' the lossin man,
May gud luck byeth attend.

The race that had for weeks an' munths
Excited mony a breest
Wes past-an' ivrybody's mind
Seem'd frev a load releest;
Ne men like these had ivor pull'd,
Let Tyneside glory shine,
An' lang may champions
0' the world Spring frae the coally Tyne.

Wor Geordey says he's glad he wes on the bridge at the race, for thor wes
a deed heet at the start, an' he dissent think they war ivor see close eftor't.
What a cawshun Geordey is, aw say.

-Source: Joe Wilson, (author) Songs and Drolleries, 1890