John Sampson, "The Seven Seas Shanty Book" (1928). Sampson was a British chanteyman in the 1880s:
MAINSAIL HAUL
One morning in the month of cold December, And most of my money being spent, What day it was I scarcely can remember, But down to the Shipping Office went. Now that day there'd been a great demand for sailors, For India, for China and for France, And I shipped on board of the 'Oxford,' And went upon the spree with my advance.
Chorus: Stand back, take in the slack, Bear away your capstan, heave a pawl, heave a pawl, 'Bout ship, stations boys, be handy. Rise tacks, sheets and mainsa'l haul.
Now most of our sailors had been drinking, And some had been heavy on the boose, So I set upon my chest a-quietly thinking, Whether to turn in and have a snooze, When I heard a voice above me loudly calling. I listened and I heard the voice again, 'Twas the chief mate at the fo'c'sle door a-bawling, 'All hands lay aft and answer to your name.
Chorus.
Now when I arrived upon the quarter-deck Such a sight I'd never seen before, There were scallywags from every tribe and nation, It made my poor heart both sick and sore. Then I wished that I was back at the 'Jolly Sailors,' Along with Irish Kate a-drinking beer, Oh Kitty, my poor heart is breaking, I went for'ard for to shed a pitiful tear.
Chorus.
Now in my chest I knew I had a bottle. For I saw the boarding master put it there, So I thought that I would go and wet my throttle, Just to drive away my sorrow and my care. Then I fell down on my knees like thunder, A-groping like a pig around a trough, When to my astonishment and wonder, It was a bottle of medicine for a cough.
Sampson observes, "This is a fairly modern sea song well known to all old sailing ship men, although the words will vary considerably....It is not of the music-hall type of sea song, but bears the marks of its nautical origin on every line."