W'at is de reason den, w'en dey fin' dem Raf' comin' near me, dey all get scare, An' pull lak de devil was close behin' dem, An' 'way down de reever to Joe Belair? 

Raf' comin' near me, dey all get scare,

An' 'way down de reever to Joe Belair?

 Two mile more, wit' de rock an' stone dere, An' water so shallow can't float canoe, But ev'ry boy of de gang, he 's goin' dere, Even de cook, an' de captain too— 

An' water so shallow can't float canoe,

Even de cook, an' de captain too—

 W'at is de reason, I lak to know—me— Ma own leetle cove 's lyin' empty dere, An' nobody stop till dey go below me, Snubbin' de raf' on Joe Belair? 

Ma own leetle cove 's lyin' empty dere,

Snubbin' de raf' on Joe Belair?

 Not'ing lak dat twenty year ago, sir, W'en voyageurs' comin' from up above, Dere 's only wan place us feller know, sir, W'en dey 're goin' ashore, an' dat's de cove. 

W'en voyageurs' comin' from up above,

W'en dey 're goin' ashore, an' dat's de cove.

 An' dere on door of de house she 's stan'nin' To welcome us back, Madame Baribeau, An' Pierre hese'f, he was on de lan'nin', Ready for ketchin' de rope we t'row. 

To welcome us back, Madame Baribeau,

Ready for ketchin' de rope we t'row.

 An' oh! de girl use to mak' us crazy— For many a fine girl Pierre has got— Right on de jomp too—never lazy, But Sophie 's de fines' wan of de lot. 

For many a fine girl Pierre has got—

But Sophie 's de fines' wan of de lot.

 Me—I was only a comon feller, An' love—wall! jus' lak de leetle calf, An' it's true, I 'm sure, w'at dey offen tell her, I 'm de uglies' man on boar' de raf'. 

An' love—wall! jus' lak de leetle calf,

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