This is an Ohio River song I learned from the singing of Helena Triplett (from her CD Green Are the Woods: Traditional Ballads & Songs From West Virginia). She learned it from a recording of Kate Toney of Kitchen in Logan County, WV, recorded August 1940, in the Chappell Collection at the University of West Virginia at Morgantown.

This is my transcription of Helena's performance. There are some words in the third line (in italics) that I'm uncertain about, or perhaps I should say I'm certainly unclear about. (Can anybody correct them?)

--Charlie Baum


ALL ON THE OHIO RIVER

All on the Ohio River as we were sailing down
We said to one another: we're past all danger gone
But we being young sosayed and then put on the shore for to see
the shore take us there for to know what the Indians do

They took us to their camps to their children and their squaws
It's there they all come running out giving warrior's great applause
They all got drunk by night and it was a horrible sight
Their squaws crying and their fire was killing for general light

The ropes were prepared and the stakes were driven down
It's there we lie all on our backs all on the cold ground
It's there we lie all night and expecting for to die
The rain all pouring down on their face and knives

At eight o'clock this morning our comrades were knocked down
The captain sought out who should die causing me to leave the ground
'Tis through the woods I rove and as lonesome as a dove
As one who had lost her mate and never could find her love

For six days then I traveled with nothing for to eat
Except it was six turkey eggs; I sighed for bread and meat
It's deer and bear were plenty but me afraid to shoot
Scared the Indians they hear me, and me they'd overtake

It's now I have escaped and my life is safe at home
I'll go no more to the Indian shore but here I'll live and die