Taku Miners
(Bill Lore)

We are miners, Taku miners,
To the shaft-house we must go,
With our oil bottles on our shoulders,
We are marching to and fro.
On the line, boys, on the line, boys,
Catch the cage and stand in line,
Till the shifter comes and tells you
You must drill her off on time.

cho: Loose the swing and jack the bar!
Come in on the arm, you're out too far!
Way up to the dump and we call her a hole,
A son of a gun, this mining for gold!

Watch that light, boys, watch that light, boys,
The mine captain's in the mine,
He will come around and ask you,
"Can you drill her off on time?"

Drill your holes, boys, load them gently,
Light the first hole in the burn,
Light your cut holes and your kickers
And your knee holes in their turn.

Light your breast holes, light your side holes,
Light your lifters, centre line,
Light your back holes - let's get going!
Make the corner, boys, on time.

There's your shots, boys, count them careful,
There's the loud report of the burn,
There's your cut holes and your kickers,
And your knee holes in their turn.

There's your breast holes, there's your side holes,
There's your back holes - we're in luck!
There's your lifters softly going,
Soft explosions under muck.

About the Taku Polaris Gold Mine, near the Alaska panhandle.
By miner Bill Lore, to Phil Thomas and in his Songs of the
Pacific Northwest.
Tune: verses, "Clementine"; chorus "Irish Washerwoman".JB
JB
apr96