Part 62 (2/2)

Derry down, &c.

The skipper, enrag'd, then declar'd he kend better, For at the same time he had smelt the salt water; ”And there's Marsden Rock, just within a styen thraw, Aw can see't through the mist, aw'll swear by my reet paw.

Derry down, &c.

The anchor let's drop till the weather it clears, For fear we be nabb'd by the French privateers!”

The anchor was dropt: when the weather clear'd up, They soon moor'd their keel at the awd Javil Group.

Derry down, &c.

The skipper was vex'd, and he curs'd and he swore, That his nose had ne'er led him se far wrang before!

But what most of all did surprise these four people Was, Marsden Rock chang'd into Gateshead Church Steeple!

Derry down, &c.

THE MIRACULOUS WELL;

Or, NEWCASTLE SPAW WATER.[51]

BY R. EMERY.

Tune--”Rory O'More.”

A fig for quack doctors, their pills and their stuff, Our neighbours of them have been tir'd long enough; E'en Dinsdale and Croft their pretensions withdraw, And Harrowgate bends to our Newca.s.sel Spaw: The halt and the blind, and the grave and the gay, To drink of the water, in crowds haste away; And gouty old bachelors thither repair, With Jews, Turks, and tailors, its virtues to share.

Hurrah for Newca.s.sel!--Newca.s.sel for me!

Where ale is so prime, and the la.s.ses so free: Your lumps, b.u.mps, and rheumatics vanish like snaw, By one mighty draught of this wonderful Spaw!

One day Cuddy w.i.l.l.y sat down by the spring, And fiddled and sang till he made the Dean ring; Then said to the crowd--My lads, as to the Spaw, Good whisky improves it, aw verra weel knaw!-- But, if you'll be seated, you'll soon hear me sing The magical cures that's performed by this spring:-- He cut an odd caper, and thus he began-- First drinking a quart from a rusty tin-can.

Hurrah for Newca.s.sel! &c.

Awd Humpy-back'd d.i.c.k, and two or three mair, Fra s.h.i.+ney Raw pit to the Well did repair; He drank of the Spaw, when the hump, in a crack, Dissolv'd and soon vanish'd frae poor d.i.c.ky's back!

Lord bliss us! cried timber-toed tee-total Peg, If it banishes humps, it might bring forth a leg!

She got to the Well, with the Spaw she made free, And very soon after poor Peggy had three!!!

Hurrah for Newca.s.sel! &c.

Pure sanctified Betty scarce knew what to think-- Hard might be her fate if she ventur'd to drink-- For most of the la.s.ses that live in Lang Raw, Have getten the dropsy by tasting the Spaw!

The doctors declare, that at forty weeks' end, 'Twill be in their arms, and the dropsy will mend; The howdies are wis.h.i.+ng the time was well o'er, For surely such water was ne'er known before.

Hurrah for Newca.s.sel! &c.

A b.u.mper, cried Cuddy, and toasted the Queen,-- Which soon was responded by all on the green,-- May she have a son soon as big's Johnny Fa'-- (There's virtue in wis.h.i.+ng while drinking the Spaw).

So now, my good la.s.ses, gan hyem to your wark-- There's danger in wand'ring the Dean in the dark 'Mang trees and awd quarries--I'd have ye beware, Remember poor Peggy was caught in the snare.

Hurrah for Newca.s.sel! &c.

Footnote 51: Some years ago, a spring of water was observed to ooze from the bank at the foot of Sandyford Dean, to which some people attributed medicinal qualities; but it was not generally noticed till the spring of 1841, when its fame spread abroad, and drew the attention of mult.i.tudes of people to the spot, many of whom being afflicted with complaints of long standing, after drinking freely of this water, declared themselves cured; and some of the faculty proving its qualities by a.n.a.lyzation, gave it a more favourable report, which caused still greater numbers of invalids, &c. to visit the spring--some with casks and cans, others with jugs and bottles, anxiously waiting for a turn.

Whether the benefits said to have been received from this water were real or imaginary, time, the test of all things, will a.s.suredly prove.

THE SKIPPER'S FRIGHT.

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