[Editor: One of a series of “Songs for the Miners” published in The Empire, 1851.]
Songs for the Miners.
No. 2.
Softly as falls the bell-bird’s song,
Our shovels we ply and our hopes grow strong ;
Soon as the loaves in store looks small,
For Bathurst we’ll start with our golden “haul.”
Dig, brothers dig ! the dust shines bright,
The cradle’s at work, and the labour’s light.
Why should we yet our souls alarm ?
There is gold enough the fond eye to charm ;
But when the snow locks up the mine,
Oh ! sadly we’ll then our task resign.
Stay, winter, stay ! the dust shines bright,
The cradle’s at work, and the labour’s light.
Sweet Ophir’s mine, — the sun and moon
Shall see us diggers make fortunes soon ;
God of the gold creek, hear our prayers.
Oh ! grant us fine weather and honest shares !
Stay, winter, stay ! the dust shines bright,
The cradle’s at work, and the labour’s light.
Source:
The Empire (Sydney, NSW), Saturday 24 May 1851, page 471 (page 3 of that issue)
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