The morn was clear the morn serene
Not a breath came o're the sea
When Mary left her Highland cot
To wander forth with me

Come change your ring with me my love
Come change your ring with me
And that will be a token
Whilst I am on the sea

Whilst I am on the sea my love
Not knowing where I am
I'll write to you in letters
From a far & distant land

For I have journeyed o're many lands
I have sailed on every sea
And Egypt's parching burning sands
No strangers are to me.

I'm betting with the changing of rings & the writing of (kind) letters that Mary could pass herself off as Nancy.

THE BEACON LIGHT

Darkness was deepening on the seas
And still the hulk drove on
No sail to answer to the breeze
Mast & cordage gone
Gloomy & clear the course of fear
Each looked but for the grave
When full in sight the beacon light
Came streaming o're the wave

Then wildly rose thegladdening shout
Of all that hardy crew
Boldly they put the helm about
And through the surf they flew
Storms were forgot toil heeded not
And loud the cheer they gave
As full in sight the beacon light
Came streaming o're the wave

And gaily oft the tale they told
When they were safe on shore
How hearts had sunk & hope grown cold
Amid the bellows roar
That not a star had shone afar
By its pale beam to save
When full in sight the beacon light
Came streaming o're the wave.

Barry

The morn was fair, the skies were clear, no breath came o'er the sea,
when Mary left her highland home and wandered forth with me,
Though flowers decked the mountainside and fragrance filled the vale,
by far the sweetest flower there was the Rose of Allendale,

REFRAIN: was the Rose of Allendale, by far the sweetest flower there was the Rose of Allendale

Where'ere I wandered, east or west, though fate began to lour,
a solace still was she to me, In sorrows's lonely hour,
When tempests lashed our lonely barque, and rent her shivering sail,
one maiden form withstood the storm 'twas the Rose of Allendale

REFRAIN:

And when my fevered lips were parched on Afric's burning sands,
she whispered hopes of happiness, and tales of distant lands,
My life has been a wilderness, unblest by fortune's gale,
had fate not linked my lot to hers, the Rose of Allendale

REFRAIN:

1.
The sky was clear, the morning was fair, no breath came over the sea,
When Mary left her highland home and wandered forth with me,
Though flowers deck'd the mountainside and fragrance fill'd the vale,
By far the sweetest flower there was the Rose of Allendale.
Sweet Rose of Allendale, Sweet Rose of Allendale,
By far the sweetest flower there was the Rose of Allendale.

2.
Where'er I wandered East and West, and fate began to lour
One solace still was she to me in sorrow's lonely hour
Oh tempest lashed our lovely boat and rent her shiv'ring sail
One maiden form withstood the storm, was the Rose of Allendale.
Sweet Rose of Allendale, Sweet Rose of Allendale,
One maiden form withstood the storm, was the Rose of Allendale.

3.
And when my fevered lips were parched on Africa's burning sands
She whispered hopes of happiness, and tales of foreign lands,
My life has been a wilderness unblest by fortune's gale;
Had fate not linked my love to hers, Sweet Rose of Allendale.
Sweet Rose of Allendale, Sweet Rose of Allendale,
Had fate not linked my love to hers, Sweet Rose of Allendale.

By the way, according to Philip's School Atlas, Allendale is a name of a town in Northumberland, England. Is that right? Did Mary leave Highland, Scotland and go to Allendale?

Does anyone know more about this song?

Teru, Japan

HTML line breaks added. --JoeClone, 11-Jul-02.

Thomas, Munich (Germany)