The Sensible Miner
[Air: The Irish Immigrant's Lament]

1
I'm mining in a dry ravine,
That may not pay at all;
I've dug a long and fancy drain,
To sluice through in the fall;
But should the rain hold off till late,
And keep me in suspense,
I'll write a line and tell dear Kate,
My hide is on the fence.

2
When I have filled my pockets with "rocks,"
I'll buy an easy life;
I'll buy an Allen pepper-box,
Likewise a bowie-knife.
No man shall rob my camp at night,
Not even he weighs a ton;
I'll show that miners are some on the fight,
And a "right smart chance" on the run.

3
The money "I'm looking for!" troubles me now,
And unless I should build a balloon,
To send it safe home I've no idea how,
No more than the man in the moon.
'Twould never arrive should I send it by mail,
For they'd steal it and spend it for beer,
And sharpers would swindle me some way or fail,
So I think I'll enjoy it here.

4
I've never done anything here I regret;
Hard work and I cannot agree;
Like other poor devils I'm hugely in debt;
But don't be alarmed about me-
My debts will outlaw, and then I shall be free
With the world, as I'll be when I quit;
Then dress and appear like a rich millionaire-
Like Brigham, "I'll git up and git."

Put's Golden Songster, p. 62
Tune and lyrics in Dwyer & Lingenfelter, The Songs of the Gold Rush, pp. 85-86.
Music: Irish Immigrant's Lament, in Good Old Songs. Transposed from C to A.

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Click to play (joeweb)

[Tune notes by Artful Codger]
More properly titled "The Lament of the Irish Immigrant." Poetry by The Hon. Mrs. Price Blackwood. The Music Composed by William R. Dempster. (Boston, by 1840.)

Sheet music [PDF] in the Lester S. Levy Collection, from which the MIDI was prepared.

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