The following is a really nice sea shanty from the singing of Keith Kendrick from Derbyshire now living in Kent. He included it on a tape recording he did a few years back. I've transcribed the words below as I hear them but am not sure of one bit of text...It sounds like "Rousing on the sheets of a sail" anybody know what "Rousing" is and how to spell it?

[draft - see corrections below]
THE EAST INDIA MAN

It's many's the time I've sung this song when the wind's been blowing of a gale
Hoisting up a yard all, shaking out a reef or rousing on the sheets of a sail.
I've shipped on board of a man-o-war in the merchant service too,
And I've fought for me king and me countery while I've sailed on the ocean blue.

Illy ally illy ally oh, cheerily boys cheerily
Bend your backs and give a pull
Cheerily I say I say
With a long pull and a strong pull
We'll haul away together boys
Delay every inch of that, delay boys, delay.

On a bright May day, we sailed away, on a great East India ship
Though it's many, many years ago me boys, I'll not forget that trip.
We said goodbye to Portsmouth Docks, to Susan, Kate and Jane,
But we hadn'a been a-sailing an hour or more when we joined in the old refrain...

Illy ally illy ally oh, ...


And now I'm off from sea again going to put down me roots onshore
Have a bit of a spell with me long haired gal the one I do adore
But there's no doubt should a war break out and seamen be required again,
Well I'll join with me crew me dutiful to do and I'll join in the old refrain...

Illy ally illy ally oh, ...