point and intention evident throughout them.  For setting sail, “Blow, boys, blow” was greatly favoured, and its quivering, weird air had a wild fascination in it.  “Boney was a warrior” was singularly popular, and was nearly always sung in hoisting the topsails.  The chanty-man would sit on the topsail halyard block and sing the solo, while the choristers rang out with touching beauty the chorus, at the same time giving two long, strong pulls on the halyards.  This song related mainly to matters of history, and was sung with a rippling tenderness which seemed to convey that the singers’ sympathies were with the Imperial martyr who was kidnapped into exile and to death by a murderous section of the British aristocracy.  The soloist warbled the great Emperor’s praises, and portrayed him as having affinity to the godlike.  His death was proclaimed as the most atrocious crime committed since the Crucifixion, and purgatory was assigned as a fitting repository for the souls of his mean executioners.  The words of these songs may be distressing jargon, but the refrain as sung by the seamen was very fine to listen to:—­

    HAUL THE BOWLING (SETTING SAIL)

    Haul th’ bowlin’, the fore and maintack bowlin’,
      Haul th’ bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul! 
    Haul th’ bowlin’, the skipper he’s a-growlin’,
      Haul th’ bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul.

    Haul th’ bowlin’, oh Kitty is me darlin’,
      Haul th’ bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul. 
    Haul th’ bowlin’, the packet is a bowlin’;
      Haul th’ bowlin’, the bowlin’ haul.

As for the song itself, it was as follows:—­

    BONEY WAS A WARRIOR

    Oh, Boney was a Corsican,
        Oh aye oh,
    Oh, Boney was a Corsican,
        John France wa! (Francois.)

    But Boney was a warrior,
        Oh aye oh,
    But Boney was a warrior,
        John France wa.

    Oh, Boney licked the Austrians!—­
        Oh aye oh,
    Oh, Boney licked the Austrians!—­
        John France wa!

    The Russians and the Prussians! 
        Oh aye oh,
    The Russians and the Prussians! 
        John France wa.

    Five times he entered Vienna! 
        Oh aye oh,
    Five times he entered Vienna,
        John France wa.

    He married an Austrian princess,
        Oh aye oh,
    He married an Austrian princess,
        John France wa.

    Then he marched on Moscow,
        Oh aye oh,
    Then he marched on Moscow,
        John France wa.

    But Moscow was a-blazing! 
        Oh aye oh,
    But Moscow was a-blazing,
        John France wa.

    Then Boney he retreated,
        Oh aye oh,
    Then Boney he retreated,
        John France wa.

    Boney went to Waterloo,
        Oh aye oh,
    Boney went to Waterloo,
        John France wa.