Moreton Bay

Moreton Bay Frank McNamara/Australian Folk Song

Transcribed by K Woodgate

Easy melody Version

The song can be found on records by the Bushwackers, Cobbers, William Clauson

and many other Australian Folk records.

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1 One Sun-day morn-ing as I was walk-ing By Bris-bane wa-ters I Chanced to

Stray

2 'I've been a con-vict at Port Mac-qua-rie At Nor-folk Is-land and Em-U

Plains

3 For three long years I was beastly treated And heavy irons on my leg I wore

4 Like the Egyptians and ancient Hebrews We were oppressed under Logan's yoke

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1 I heard a con-vict his fate be-wail-ing As on the sun-ny ri-ver bank he lay

2 At cas-tle hill and cur-sed toon-gab-bie At all those sett-le-ments I've

worked in chains

3 My back with floggings was lacerated, And often painted with crimson gore

4 Till a native black lying there in ambush Did deal our tyrant his mortal

stroke

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1 I am a nat-ive of Er-in's is-land Trans-port- ed now from my na-tive shore

2 But of all pla-ces of con-dem-na-tion And pen-al sta-tions of New South

Wales

3 And many a man from downright starvation Lies mouldering now beneath the

clay

4 My fellow prisoners, be exhilarated That all such monsters such a death

may find

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1 They tore me from my a-ged pa-rents And from the maid-en that I do a-dore

2 To Moreton Bay I have found no equal: Excess-ive Ty-rann-ny each day

pre-vails

3 And Captain Logan he had us mangled At the triangles of Moreton Bay

4 And when from bondage we are liberated, Our former sufferings shall fade

from mind