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Lyr Req: 'Beware and take care of the Bight of ...

07 Sep 01 - 04:40 PM (#544736)
Subject: Sea Chantey-White Man's Grave
From: GUEST,John Galt

Does anyone have the lyrics to this 19th century chantey? I believe it begins "Beware and take care the Bight of Benin". I believe it was linked in someway to the disappearance of Mungo Park.


07 Sep 01 - 06:57 PM (#544826)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Chantey-White Man's Grave
From: Sorcha

Don't suppose this(click me!) is it?


07 Sep 01 - 07:01 PM (#544828)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Chantey-White Man's Grave
From: Sorcha

It's also a novel by Richard Dooling, and supposedly there is a poem by Henry Kendall,(Australia) but I didn't find it.....


08 Sep 01 - 07:17 AM (#545083)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Sea Chantey-White Man's Grave
From: Gareth

Beware, Oh beware of the bight of Benin
Theres one comes out, that twenty goes in.

Patrick O'Brien makes mention of this as a saying common to the RN crews on the anti slave trade patrols, in "The Commodore"

I can't ay that I have ever seen this or heard this as a full shanty.

Gareth