As I walked down fourth street
A jolly young sailor I chanced for to see.
I said "brother sailor, oh where are you bound?"
"I'm bound for New London or some other rich town."
Our ship being rigged,
And ready to sail,
We drew up the anchor
And we drew up the sail.
For six months we sailed,
All hearts were content.
Then the ship sprang a leak
And to the bottom it sank.
Forty-four of us sailors
Got in a life boat,
Way out on the ocean,
All alone there did float.
Provisions grew scarce,
And death it drew nigh,
We each drew our number,
For to see which would die.
These names being written,
And put in a hat.
We each drew our number,
Yes we each drew our lot.
And amongst all them sailors,
This young damsel drew less.
She was to be killed
By the one she loved best.
"Before I would kill you,
My heart it would burst.
Before I would kill you,
My love I'd die first"
"Oh stop," said the captain
"Hold on now you men.
Not but very few people
Who would die for a friend"
But their knives being sharpened,
There's murdering to do,
When "stop," said this lady
"For a moment or two."
"Oh stop," said this lady
"Hold on to your tongues.
I hear a ship a coming
By her loud roaring guns."
In the space of a moment
They all looked again.
They saw a ship a coming
For to take them all in.
Straight ways to New London,
This ship was conveyed.
Straight ways to get married
With this young man and me.