They have strayed far away, they are lost into the North
And the small tidings that are found, will not be soon forgot.
While all hearts are bent upon them, wherever they have got,
And hopes that we shall see them soon, and in our craft afloat.
Then the’l feast on the best of meat, and no doubt a cheery flask,
We’l make them to forget, the feelings of the past,
With the tweendecks but in order, and Brands playing as afore,
A merry night the’l have for once, as they have not had since yore.
Or if fancy leads the way for a crack about old friends,
A'thinking of the weary years, that they have passed since si’n
All information that we can, we'll give to them we ween,
And wives and sweethearts, which may be, we’ll toast them en by en.
But if we had length of legs, that would stretch some 50 miles,
And knew the road or which to go, to assist them in their wiles,
Or if their pleasure should commend, a pluck across the floe,
With strength and speed, we’l do our most, to seek for Franklin’s Oh.
-- Goodsir Papers, Edinburgh University Library Gen 301/5
And the small tidings that are found, will not be soon forgot.
While all hearts are bent upon them, wherever they have got,
And hopes that we shall see them soon, and in our craft afloat.
Then the’l feast on the best of meat, and no doubt a cheery flask,
We’l make them to forget, the feelings of the past,
With the tweendecks but in order, and Brands playing as afore,
A merry night the’l have for once, as they have not had since yore.
Or if fancy leads the way for a crack about old friends,
A'thinking of the weary years, that they have passed since si’n
All information that we can, we'll give to them we ween,
And wives and sweethearts, which may be, we’ll toast them en by en.
But if we had length of legs, that would stretch some 50 miles,
And knew the road or which to go, to assist them in their wiles,
Or if their pleasure should commend, a pluck across the floe,
With strength and speed, we’l do our most, to seek for Franklin’s Oh.
-- Goodsir Papers, Edinburgh University Library Gen 301/5
