Tranquil upon the boat
Bobbing on the ripples it floats
Everybody awake all ready
For the sweat and toil
What’s it load for today?
Maybe coal, timber or even soil
The harness put on horse
Started to pull the barge
Some maybe two boats or three
Small ones even four or five very large
Ten days a round trip
From the warehouse to our destination
Journey far and wide
On the narrow boat with fascination

Making our way through the locks
Jumping off the boat
Closing gates with the lock spanner
Heck! Starting to rain glad I have my coat
All done now in a positive manner

Then comes the hard work, tunnels
Out with the tredding boards
Into their places they slide
Unhook the horse for
Someone to walk him to other side
How lay down start to tred the walls
One foot in front of the other
All this hard slog on these long hauls
But for this family no bother