Philly Pittman 

Philly was the oldest man ever known to live in Merasheen. He was ninety-five years old when he died. Philly had an accident when he was a younger man - cutting off his toe in the woods. Cutting off one's toe wasn't so unusual, but he was cutting wood down in Barry's Mash, which at that time was a great stand of wood. It was only bog when we grew up there. He lived in Philly's Bottom, from which the place derived its name.

Thomas J. Hodder

(This song could be heard anytime you got Phil Pittman or Joe Casey together)  

Attention all both great and small,
Those lines l will pen down,
Concerning the Thomas J. Hodder,
And the day she went aground.
Being in the year of fifty-two,
The date being March the eighth,
The Hodder was commanded,
By Captain Abraham Lake.

The Hodder is a splendid boat,
About one hundred ton,
A. Wareham is the owner and,
She's always on the run.
From Spencer's Cove to Boston,
And many other ports,
For the use of exportation,
And also her imports.

She left the port of Sydney,
With a full cargo on board,
Coal provisions and groceries,
Combined made up her load.
The next day leaving Burin,
The crew were gay and bright,
Not thinking any accident,
Would happen in daylight.

The day was fine and all went well,
Till Paradise grew near,
Says Abe onto the boys “I think,
We'll steer a course in here.
I've been there many a time before,
It is a real short cut",
But his vessel being heavily loaded.
She grounded in the gut.

The news was soon flashed over the air,
By means oi ship to shore,
A. Wareham he been contacted saying,
The Hodder is gone I'm sure.
She's high and dry in Lake's Gut,
The bottom is gone l know,
So come and bring assistance it,
You want to save the load.

From Paradise and vicinity,
The crowd did quickly go,
To help the well-known captain,
And see if he needed a tow,
But when they came up to her side,
He on them threw no frown,
Saying fill up your punts and dories,
For the Hodder is going down.

Provisions were instantly taken,
Out of the after hole,
Punts and dories loaded,
And some of them with coal.
There were men from Toslow and Bona,
Paradise and Petite Forte,
Dr. Wilson he was also there,
Who helped in his little boat.

The tide it was also rising,
Which favoured the Hodder well,
Mr. Wareham was soon expected,
To come around the head.
At three o’clock she floated,
And under her own power,
Steamed down to Little Paradise,
And tied up to the wharf.

They stayed there for a short while,
To see if she would leak,
But Abe being discontented for,
The dock at Burin did leave,
Saying now my boys let go your lines,
Before dark we will make,
But to his great misfortune,
Put her on the pancake.

Mr. Wareham was passing the harbour,
In the Evette when she struck,
I'm sure he must be thinking by now,
The Hodder is having tough luck.
But when he came up to her side,
She showed no signs of grief,
For many a vessel of Wareham’s,
Had been lost on similar reefs.

The wind was from the northeast,
As smooth as oil could be,
All the men at that time,
Their minds from work were free.
They all agreed to do their part,
And take her off the cake,
To assist Alberto Wareham,
And also Captain Lake.

They were not long a tugging,
When off the rock did slide,
She then proceeded to Spencer's Cove,
With the Evette close beside.
Mr. Wareham did contact his firm,
A crowd to have on hand,
To finish discharging the cargo,
Soon as he reached the land.

The Hodder is now on Burin dock,
For repairs you may understand,
But soon she will resume the voyage,
With Lake still in command.
We wish him luck with all our hearts,
For he is liked by all,
Those accidents can happen to,
The greatest and the small.

Now to conclude and finish,
I won’t detain you long,
l hope l haven’t offended you,
For I've said nothing wrong.
Those facts that I’ve related,
I'm sure will cause me do no harm,
To the Hodder and her jolly crew,
As she went homeward bound.