n to the yard.

Although the same verse was sung over and over again, very
occasionally a different text would be substituted, which was treated
in the same manner. Capt. Whall gives two alternatives, which were
sometimes used:

'We'll all drink brandy and gin,'

and--

'We'll all shave under the chin.'

Mr. Morley Roberts also told me that a variant in his ship was--

'We'll all throw dirt at the cook.'

THE SHANTY BOOK.

PART I.

[Transcriber's Note: Fractions in brackets indicate that the original
text has a music note symbol over the succeeding word, e.g., [1/4] = a
quarter note. A vowel with an umlaut indicates that the word or
syllable has two dots over it in the original text, presumably to
indicate that it should be prolonged when sung. See the Glossary
below.]

1. Billy Boy.

(NORTHUMBRIAN CAPSTAN SHANTY.)

[Music illustration:

1. Where hev ye been aeal the day,
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Where hev ye been aeal the day, me Billy Boy?
I've been walkin' aeal the day
With me charmin' Nancy Grey,
And me Nancy kittl'd me fancy
Oh me charmin' Billy Boy.]

2. Is she fit to be yor wife
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Is she fit to be yor wife, me Billy Boy?
She's as fit to be me wife
As the fork is to the knife
And me Nancy, _etc._

3. Can she cook a bit o' steak
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she cook a bit o' steak, me Billy Boy?
She can cook a bit o' steak,
Aye, and myek a gairdle cake
And me Nancy, _etc._

4. Can she myek an Irish Stew
Billy Boy, Billy Boy?
Can she myek an Irish Stew, me Billy Boy?
She can myek an Irish Stew
Aye, and "Singin' Hinnies" too.
And me Nancy, _etc._

_Glossary_:--

aeal = all. Pronounced to rhyme with "shall" only the vowel
must be very much prolonged.

kittled = tickled.

myek = make.

gairdle cake = girdle cake, i.e. a cake baked on a griddle.

Singin' Hinnies--i.e. a species of Sally Lunn teacake only
larger. Usually plentifully besprinkled with currants, in
which case it is designated by pitmen as "Singin' Hinnies
wi' smaea co fizzors" (small coal fizzers.)

2. Bound for the Rio Grande.

(WINDLASS AND CAPSTAN SHANTY.)

[Music illustration:

1. I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea.
Oh Rio.
I'll sing you a song of the fish of the sea
And we're bound for t