But weel may the boatie row,
And lucky be her part;
And lightsome be the lassie's care
That yields an honest heart!
When Sawnie, Jock, and Janetie
Are up, and gotten lear,
They'll help to gar the boatie row,
And lighten a' our care.
The boatie rows, the boatie rows,
The boatie rows fu' weel;
And lightsome be her heart that bears
The merlin and the creel !
And when wi' age we are worn down,
And hirpling round the door,
They'll row to keep us hale and warm,
As we did them before.
Then weel may the boatie row,
That wins the bairns' bread;
And happy be the lot of a'
That wish the boat to speed.
CHEER, boys, cheer! no more of idle sorrow ;
Courage! true hearts shall bear us on the way;
Hope points before, and shows the bright to-morrow,
Let us forget the darkness of to-day.
So farewell, England! much as we may love thee,
We'll dry the tears that we have shed before;
Why should we weep to sail in search of fortune?
So farewell, England! farewell evermore!
Cheer, boys, cheer! for England, mother England!
Cheer, boys, cheer! the willing strong right hand!
Cheer, boys, cheer! there's wealth for honest
Cheer, boys, cheer! for the new and happy land.
Cheer, boys, cheer! the steady breeze is blowing,
To float us freely o'er the ocean's breast;
The world shall follow in the track we're going;
The star of Empire glitters in the West.
Here we had toil and little to reward it,
But there shall plenty smile upon our pain,
And ours shall be the prairie and the forest,
And boundless meadows ripe with golden grain.
Cheer, boys, cheer! for England, mother England!
Cheer, boys, cheer! united heart and hand;
Cheer, boys, cheer! there's wealth for honest
Cheer, boys, cheer! for the new and happy land.
EMIGRANT'S SONG.
OUR native land, our native vale,
A long-a last adieu!
Farewell to bonny Teviotdale,
And Cheviot's mountains blue!
Farewell, ye hills of glorious deeds,
And streams renowned in song!
Farewell, ye blithesome braes and meads
Our hearts have loved so long!
Farewell, ye broomy elfin knowes,
Where thyme and harebells grow!
Farewell, ye hoary haunted howes,
O'erhung with birk and sloe !
The battle-mound, the Border-tower,
That Scotia's annals tell;
The martyr's grave, the lover's bower-
To each to all-farewell!
Home of our hearts! our fathers' home!
Land of the brave and free!
The keel is flashing through the foam
That bears us far from thee.
We seek a wild and distant shore
Beyond the Atlantic main;
We leave thee to return no more,
Nor view thy cliffs again.
But may dishonour blight our fame,
And quench our household fires,
When we or ours forget thy name,
Green island of our sires!
Our native vale, our native vale,
A long-a last adieu !
Farewell to bonny Teviotdale,
And Scotland's mountains blue!
EMIGRANT'S HYMN.
Now we must leave our fatherland,
And wander far o'er ocean's foam;
Broken is kinship's dearest band,
Forsaken stands our ancient home.
But One will ever with us go
Through busiest day and stillest night;
The heavens above, the deeps below,
Stand all unveiled before His sight.
If but His hand still hold us fast,
His presence hourly fold us round,
The anchor of our souls is cast
Firm on the one eternal ground.
Though scattered be our brethren now
O'er land and ocean far apart,
Yet to one Master still they bow,
In Him they still are one in heart.
Sweet for each other oft to plead,
And feel our oneness in the Son:
Ah! then we daily meet indeed
In spirit at our Father's throne.
Soon time for us shall cease to reign,
The Saviour call us home in peace;
At last we all shall meet again,
And partings shall for ever cease.
A BLESSING ON THE OUTWARD BOUND.
A BLESSING on the outward bound,
Wherever they may go,
From hills and dales their fathers owned,
Or cottage poor and low.
'Tis no slight thing to part from home,
Whate'er that home may be ;
To trust a doubtful future, on
The wild and stormy sea.
But while the tide of life rolls on,
The mighty stream must flow;
Then blessings on the outward bound,
Wherever they may go.
A blessing on the outward bound,
The noble and the true,
Who've wrestled long with poverty,
Which they shall conquer too.
The earth was made for man to share,
And worthy it are they,
Those brave and bold adventurers,
Our proud ships bear away.
To freedom and to sunny lands,
Still may the breezes blow;
May God protect the outward bound,
Wherever they may go !
THE SCOTCH EMIGRANT.
OH! fare-thee-well, my bonny Jean!
Though sad our parting be,
Nor time, nor absence, e'er can wean
One tender thought from thee.
When far away, on some bright isle,
Thou shalt not be forgot,
I'll think of home and thy dear smile,
To cheer my lonely lot.
The wimplin' burn and flow'ry braes,
Each well-remembered scene,
Will 'mind me of those happy days
When wand'ring with my Jean.
Oh! coldly gleam our northern skies,
And we, my love, are poor;
To seek what fortune here denies,
I leave my native shore.
Thou'lt ply thy busy wheel all day,
With grief too great to speak,
And none the burning tears will stay
That fall adown thy cheek.
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