The Oyster Schooner

A poem by William Henry Drummond

W'at's all dem bell a ringin' for, a can hear dem ev'ry w'ere?
W'at's bring de peop' togeder on de w'arf at Trois Rivieres,
Dat happy crowd is look so glad, w'y are dey comin' dere?
O! de reason dey're so happy w'ile dey're waitin' dere to-day
Is becos de oyster schooner she's sailin' up de bay
An' de caraquette an' malpecque will quickly melt away
Affer she was t'row de anchor on t'ree reever.

For w'y dey mak' de fuss lak dat, an' nearly broke deir neck,
Ain't dey got de noder oyster more better dan malpecque
Or caraquette, dat leetle wan from down be- low Kebeck?

Wall! ax de crowd dat question w'ile dey're waitin' dere to-day
So glad to see La Belle Marie sailin' up de bay,
An' dey 'll drown you on de water, so you 'll know about de way
She was t'rowin' out de anchor on T'ree Reever

Dere's ole Joe Lachapelle, he's blin', can hardly see at all,
He's bring de man got wooden leg call Jimmie Sauriol,
An' bote dem feller jomp aroun' lak mooshrat on de fall,
For dey know de schooner 's comin', she's sailin' up de bay,
An' de reason she don't hurry w'ile dey 're waitin' dere to-day,
Is becos she's full of oyster, will quickly pass away
W'en dat schooner t'row de anchor on T'ree Reever.

We've trottin' race las' winter, an' circus on de spring,
Wit' elephan' an' monkey too, all playin' on de ring,
But beeger crowd she's comin' now, for w'y? it 's differen' t'ing,
For dey 're waitin' on dat schooner, she's sailin' up de bay
Dey smell de malpecque oyster an' caraquette to-day
An' O! ba gosh, dey 'll eat dem! it's alway be de way
W'en dat schooner t'row de anchor on T'ree Reever.

"She's comin' in -she's comin' in," jus'lis- sen to de cry!
"Get out de line an' hol' her fas', for fear she's passin' by,
For if dere 's sometíng happen now, de peop' will surely die."
Affer waitin' on dat schooner, she 's sailin' up de bay
Lak de sparrow on de wood-pile watchin' all de day,
But dey got her safe enough now, she 'll never sail away
Till dem oyster she was finish on T'ree Reever.

"All aboar'-comment câ va, Captinne Beli- veau?
We're glad to see you back again from Cara- quette below,
But we 're sorry you don't hurry, w'en you got such nice car-go."

So dey ketch dat oyster schooner she's sailin' up de bay,
Dey ketch her an' dey hol' her till de oyster 's gone away
An' she's two foot out de water La Belle Marie nex' day
Affer she was t row de anchor on T'ree Reever.