Wreck of the Glenaloon, The

DESCRIPTION: A ship is in a dead fog. The captain thinks he sees a rock or wreck. It's the wreck of Glenaloon. her mainmast and mizzen gone," six skeletons and a note that food is gone. They row away, or bury the dead crew: "her deck seemed swarmed with shadows"
AUTHOR: Lyrics: Francies Alexander Durivage (1814-1881) (source: Lane/Gosbee-SongsOfShipsAndSailors)
EARLIEST DATE: 1928 (Mackenzie-BalladsAndSeaSongsFromNovaScotia)
LONG DESCRIPTION: A ship is in a dead wind and fog three leagues from land. The charts show no rocks but the captain thinks he sees a rock or wreck and sends a crew to investigate. It's the wreck of Glenaloon, rugged yards and splintered spars, her mainmast and mizzen gone," six skeletons and a note that food is gone. They row away, or bury the dead crew: "her deck seemed swarmed with shadows"
KEYWORDS: burial death sea wreck sea ship sailor ghost food starvation
FOUND IN: Canada(Mar,Newf) US(NE)
REFERENCES (4 citations):
Mackenzie-BalladsAndSeaSongsFromNovaScotia 162, "The Wreck of the Glenaloon" (1 text)
Ives-FolksongsOfNewBrunswick, pp. 172-176, "The Wreck of the Glenna Loon" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lehr/Best-ComeAndIWillSingYou 43, "The Glen Alone" (1 text, 1 tune)
Lane/Gosbee-SongsOfShipsAndSailors, pp. 184-185, "Glenaloon" (1 text, 1 tune, composite)
Roud #1965
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "The Ghostly Crew" [Laws D16] (theme)
NOTES [15 words]: See "The Ghostly Crew" [Laws D16] for another Newfoundland ballad of haunting at sea. - BS
Last updated in version 6.4
File: Mack162

Go to the Ballad Search form
Go to the Ballad Index Song List

Go to the Ballad Index Instructions
Go to the Ballad Index Bibliography or Discography