David, I think you can read "dismissed" to mean "extinguished."

Dave, this is a very rare ballad, Laws K6. I'm only aware of 1 other version collected from tradition - "By The Lightening We Lost Our Sight" in W. Roy MacKenzie's Ballads and Sea Songs from Nova Scotia. I would be delighted if you could point me to other traditional versions. Thanks in advance.

All the best,
Dan