The Royal Tar Chords by Schooner Fare

_ [C#m] _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ On cold and [E] dark October nights, [B] when Northwest [C#m] gales did blow,
You can see [E] the Royal Tower of Coombs Point [G#m] all aglow.
[A] A side-wheel [E] sailing ship she [B] was, a packet [G#m] of renown.
[C#m] She sailed from [E] Yarmouth, Nova [B] Scotia, down to Boston [C#m] town.
_ _ The cargo was [E] a circus, [B] horses, lions, [C#m] camels too,
A [E] leopard and an elephant, a tiger and one [G#m] old dune.
[A] Aboard her [E] were three score and [B] twelve, and a crew of [G#m] twenty-one. _ _
[C#m] And thirty-three [E] would perish [B] ere that fateful night [C#m] was done.
_ _ _ _ _ [A] There's a fire [E] someone shouted, [B] fire [C#m] in the hall,
[A] And a Northwest wind [E] across the deck [B] to chill the [G#m] very soul. _
[A] Their courage would [E] be tested for [B] that [C#m] awful night was through,
[A] Of [E] cowards there were many, [B] of heroes [C#m] just a few. _ _ _ _
With only six [E] months' service, [B] she was just off [C#m]
Iloho.
The captain looked [E] for shelter when the gale commenced [G#m] to blow.
_ [A] Captain Reed [E] dropped anchor in [B] the lee of Haven [G#m]
Shore.
_ [C#m] He said, we'll be [E] protected here [B] till morning [C#m] light for sure.
_ Then came the [E] call of fire [B] and a mad rush [C#m] for the boats.
There being [E] only two seaworthy and one that would [G#m] not float.
[A] The crew [E] abandoned first, [B] with just three men [G#m] from below.
_ _ _ [C#m]
Captain, [E] the jolly boat, [B] and two [C#m] more but a row. _
_ _ _ _ [A] There's a fire [E] someone shouted, [B] fire [C#m] in the hall,
And a [A] Northwest [E] wind across the [B] deck to chill the [G#m] very soul.
[A] Their courage [E] would be tested [B] for that awful [C#m] night was through,
[A] Of cowards [E] there were many, [B] of heroes [C#m] just a [F#] few.
_ [C#m] _ _ _ _
Seventy [E]-two were left [B] aboard in the fire [C#m] and the gale.
Captain [E] waited a passenger, slipped chain and [G#m] set the sail.
[A] He hoped to [E] beach the royal [B] char and save all [G#m] those aboard. _
[C#m] But the sails then [E] caught a fire [B] and she [C#m] helplessly did seaward.
_ Then from [E] North Haven Harbor came [B] Dyer [C#m] and his crew.
Aboard [E] the schooner Vito, close by the [G#m] char they drew.
[A] They took off forty [E] souls [B] from the listing burning [G#m] wreck.
_ _ [C#m] And then could take [E] no more [B] as the [C#m] fire consumed the deck. _ _
_ _ _ [A] There's a fire [E] someone shouted, [B] fire [C#m] in the hall,
[A] And a [E] Northwest wind across the [B] deck to chill [G#m] the very [G#] soul.
_ [A] Their courage [E] would be tested [B] for that awful [C#m] night was through,
[A] Of cowards [E] there were many, [B] of heroes [C#m] just a few.
[F#] _ [C#m] Twelve _ _ women [E] died that night [B] and eleven [C#m] children too.
Just ten men [E] died in all, only three of them [G#m] were cruel.
[A] The folks out [E] on Matinegas [B] say they watched the [G#m] royal tar.
_ [C#m] As she drifted [E] out to sea [B] until she looked to be a [C#m] star. _
Of the [E] animals that lived [B] it said they swam the [C#m] shore.
And to this [E] day on stormy nights you'll hear the [G#m] lions roar.
[A] The [E] elephant was found [B] washed up on far off [G#m] brimstone _ isle.
[C#m] And men who [E] lived to tell the [B] tale would e'er [C#m] forget the trial. _ _ _ _
[A] There's a fire [E] someone shouted, [B] fire [C#m] in the hall,
[A] And a Northwest [E] wind across the deck [B] to chill the [G#m] very soul.
_ [A] Their [E] courage would be tested [B] for that awful [C#m] night was through,
[A] Of [E] cowards there were many, [B] of heroes [C#m] just a few. _ _ _
_ _ [A] There's a fire [E] someone shouted, [B] fire [C#m] in the hall,
[A] And a Northwest [E] wind across the deck [B] to chill [G#m] the very [G#] soul. _ _ _ _
[A] Their courage [E] would be tested [B] for that awful [C#m] night was through,
[F#m] Of cowards [E] there were many, [B] of heroes just [C#m] a few. _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _