Our Henrietta Sailors have Come back Home
A new folk song about a homecoming from the sea: Our Henrietta sailors were saved from the wreck of their schooner by the crew of the Barracouta. Updated to Tin Whistle & Piano
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Story behind the song
Something hopeful about the sea, based on the newspaper account. In Dec, 1887 the schooner Henrietta was caught in a storm and sank. Her crew was rescued just in the nick of time by the crew of the Barracoutta.
Lyrics
Oh a merry day! The Barracoutta made port!
Our Henrietta sailors have come back home!
When they left Aquilla In the Western Indies
was a storm a brewing, but no one knew
So they sailed, with full sheets flying,
For two days, that schooner flew.
Then the wind it turned to a bad Nor'Wester
How it whipp'd around them now as it blew
Captain Hammet said "Reef the fore sails!"
but once reefed, the bolt holes blew.
Now the Henrietta ran before a GALE wind
With no sail to steer by, to keep her true
Captain Hammet said, "Rig a storm sail!",
but in minutes, that went too.
Oh a merry day! The Barracoutta made port!
Our Henrietta sailors have come back home!
Now the Henrietta was in dire trouble,
balance reef'd her main sail, but then it blew.
And the Sea washed Henrietta, clear'd the deck of all she knew.
How our brave boys tried, to just keep her pointed,
Then the rudder gave way, to their dispair.
Captain Hammet said, "Chop the Bulkhead! Throw the cargo to the sea!"
Now the Henrietta was so close to sinking
But our brave young sailors kept to their work
Captain Hammett said "Light a fire, signal ships if they be true!"
Oh a merry day! The Barracoutta made port!
Our Henrietta sailors have come back home!
Captain Hubbard sailing the good Barracoutta
Caught sight of a signal on his port bow
His ship trained in at-sea rescue, and they'd earned some medals too.
"Who will board that vessel in this bitter storm?"
Captain Hubbard asked his noble crew.
"Let me go!" said every man there; he chose four to make the trip.
Now poor Henrietta taking water freely
Wondered if they'd live til far day break
Bur just then oh the heavens opened and the moon shown bright as day.
Oh a merry day! The Barracoutta made port!
Our Henrietta sailors have come back home!
It took them two hours with that wind a blowing
To save all our seven, our schooner's crew
as they sailed on Barracouta, 'Et-ta slipped beneath the waves.
Oh our poor schooner, poor Henrietta,
But she served her Captain and saved her crew.
Captain Hammet said "Let's go home, boys! We did all a man can do!"
Now the poor Henrietta lies down on the bottom
But our sailors are home 'til their next trip
So let's hoist mugs to Henrietta and to Barracoutta too.
Oh a merry day! The Barracoutta made port!
Our Henrietta sailors have come back home!
