The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #128220   Message #3114767
Posted By: Gibb Sahib
16-Mar-11 - 04:16 AM
Thread Name: The Advent and Development of Chanties
Subject: RE: The Advent and Development of Chanties
Here's a few more quotes from Dana, _Two Years_, that didn't make it into this thread. They don't add much except,

--reinforce ubiquity of CHEERLY (used for catting anchor and halyards);
--"yo-ho-ing" as Dana's way of referring to singing-out;
--another mention of "Time for us to go";
--Dana was using "yo heave ho" at the windlass, rather than songs/chanties.

pg321
//
We pulled off with a will, saying to ourselves (I can speak for myself at least)—" Good-by, Santa Barbara! —This is the last pull here !—No more duckings in your breakers, and slipping from your cursed south-easters!" The news was soon known aboard, and put life into everything when we were.getting under weigh. Each one was taking his last look at the mission, the town, the breakers on the beach, and swearing that no money would make him ship to see them again; and when all hands tallied on to the cat-fall, the chorus of " Time for us to go!" was raised for the first time, and joined in, with full swing, by everybody.
//

pg349
//
For a few minutes, all was uproar and apparent confusion: men flying about like monkeys in the rigging; ropes and blocks flying; orders given and answered, and the confused noises of men singing out at the ropes. The top-sails came to the mast-heads with "Cheerily, men!" and, in a few minutes, every sail was set; for the wind was light. The head sails were backed, the windlass came round ' slip—slap' to the cry of the sailors ;—" Hove short, sir," said the mate;—" Up With him !"—"Aye, aye, sir."—A few hearty and long heaves, and. the anchor showed its head. "Hook cat!"—The fall was stretched along the decks;—all hands laid hold;—" Hurrah, for the last time," said the mate; and the anchor came to the cat-head to the tune of " Time for us to go," with a loud chorus.
//

pg396
//
Our spirits returned with having something to do; and when the tackle was manned to bowse the anchor home, notwithstanding the desolation of the scene, we struck up "Cheerily ho!" in full chorus.
//

pg413
//
When we came to mast-head the top-sail yards, with all hands at the halyards, we struck up "Cheerily, men," with a chorus which might have been heard half way to Staten Land.
//

Homeward bound in the Alert (pg. 428):
//
The very yo-ho-ing of the sailors at the ropes sounded sociably upon the ear.
//

On returning to moor in Boston, the following occurred (pg 458):
//
All hands manned the windlass, and the longdrawn "Yo, heave, ho!" which we had last heard dying away among the desolate hills of San Diego, soon brought the anchor to the bows…
//