View source for Annotation:As We Sailed from the Downs

'''AS WE SAILED FROM THE DOWNS'''. Irish, Air (3/4 time). E Flat Major. Standard tuning. AB. "The song tells of the wreck of a vessel on the coast of the County Down on its way from London to Belfast."

''As we sailed from the Downs near fair London town,''

''It's then we had fine pleasant weather;''

''For two days or three we'd a very calm sea,''

''And our good ship she wrought with much pleasure.''

''Buth then rose a fog, and our vessel did log,''

''You could scarcely observe our slow motion;''

''When to our surprise the storm did arise,''

''And the billows did foam through the ocean''

Source for notated version: "Mr. J. McKenzie of Newtownards, a great lover of Irish Music and of the corresponding folk songs, sent me the (air) about 30 yeards ago" (i.e. 1875). 

Printed sources: Joyce ('''Old Irish Folk Music and Songs'''), 1909; No. 319, pg. 149.