Thomas Wentworth Higginson, Army Life in a Black Regiment

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O, remember, let me go to Canaan, ( Thrice.)
To meet 'em, &c.
O brudder, let me go to Canaan, ( Thrice.)
To meet 'em, &c.
My brudder, you — oh!--remember, (Thrice.)
To meet 'em at de comin‘ day.

The following begins with a startling affirmation, yet the last line quite outdoes the first. This, too, was a capital boat-song.

X. One more river.

O, Jordan bank was a great old bank,
Dere ain't but one more river to cross.
We have some valiant soldier here,
Dere ain't, &c.
O, Jordan stream will never run dry,
Dere ain't, &c.
Dere's a hill on my leff, and he catch on my right,
Dere ain't but one more river to cross.

I could get no explanation of this last riddle, except, “Dat mean, if you go on de leff, go to ‘struction, and if you go on de right, go to God, for sure.”

In others, more of spiritual conflict is implied, as in this next.

XI. O the dying Lamb!

I wants to go where Moses trod,
O de dying Lamb!
For Moses gone to de promised land,
O de dying Lamb!
To drink from springs dat never run dry,
O, &c.
Cry O my Lord!
O, &c.
Before I'll stay in hell one day,
O, &c.
I'm in hopes to pray my sins away,
O, &c.