“*The Gaëlic liturgy, composed by John Kerswell, afterwards Bishop of Argyle, 1566, contains the form of blessing a ship when going to sea. The steersman says, “Let us bless our ship,” the crew responding “God, the Father, bless her!” Repeating his request they rejoin, “Jesus Christ bless her!” and, to the same observation, the third time, “The Holy Ghost bless her!” The steersman then asks them what they fear, if God, the Father, be with them, &c.; to which they reply, “We do not fear any thing.” They did not, however, altogether rely on the assistance of the Trinity, for they were careful to suspend a hegoat from the mast to insure a favourable wind.” [p.184, footnote]

“Address to the Rowers, or the Prosnachadh Uimrai: “That you may urge on the long, dark, brown vessel, man the tough, long, polished oars; keep time, strike quick, and deeply wound the heaving billows, and make the surges fly like sparkling showers of living flame. Send her, swift as an eagle, o'er the deep vales and mountains of the sea. O, stretch, bend, and pull the straight sons of the forest! And see how the stout conquerors of the ocean bend their muscular forms like one man! Behold their hairy, sinewy arms! See how they twist their oars in the bosom of the deep! Now the pilot's song inspires them with fresh vigour –– see how they urge the swift courser of the ocean, snorting o'er the fluid plain. Lo! how her prow cuts the roaring waves! Her strong sides creak amidst the dark heaving deep, while the sons of the forest, wielded by the strong arms of the crew, impel her against the storm. These are the fearless, unwearied, unbending rowers, whose oars can shut the very throat of the whirlpool.”

As soon as the sixteen rowers were seated at their oars, and ready to row the vessel into the fair wind, Callum Garbh, Mac Ronald of the ocean, the fore oar's-man, sung the Ioram, which consists of fifteen stanzas.” [p.185]

“Fhir a bhata or the boatmen, the music of which is annexed, is sung in the above manner, by the Highlanders with much effect. It is the song of a girl whose lover is at sea, whose safety she prays for, and whose return she anxiously expects.” [p.253]

Fhir a bhata (Iorram) music. [p.260]
[The Scottish Gaël; Or, Celtic Manners, as Preserved Among the Highlanders, Logan, 1831]