d a theme for that swashbuckling chant and
Allison, who wrote the libretto for the "Ogallallas," agreed to
work it out. That same night with Waller's really brilliant musical
conception in his mind, Mr. Allison wrote what might be considered
the first three verses of the present revision, which were set to
Waller's music, written for a deep baritone, and published by Pond.
Thereafter during the rehearsal of the "Ogallallas" no session was
complete until Eugene Cowles, in his big, rich bass, had sung
Allison's three verses of "Fifteen Men on the Dead Man's Chest" to
Waller's music, as "lagniappe," while cold chills raced up and down
the spines of his hearers--more or less immune to sensations of
that character.

[13] Incubation at that time. Production in 1893.

As I write I have before me a copy of the music, the title page of
which reads as follows: "A Piratical Ballad. Song for Bass or Deep
Baritone. Words by Young E. Allison. Music by Henry Waller. New
York. Published by William A. Pond & Co. 1891."

Later it occurred to Mr. Allison that he had done scant justice to
an idea full of great possibilities, and another verse was added,
and still later another, making five in all, when in a more
polished condition it was submitted to the _Century_ for
publication, and accepted, though later the editor asked to have
the closing lines re-constructed as being a bit too strong for his
audience. Mr. Allison felt that to bring back those drink-swollen
and weighted bodies "wrapp'd in a mains'l tight" from their "sullen
plunge in the sullen swell, ten fathoms deep on the road to hell"
would cut the heart out of the idea--while admitting to the
_Century's_ editor that such a sentiment might not be entirely
fitted for his clientele--and so declined to make the alteration.

About this time Mr. Allison had "Derelict" privately printed for
circulation among friends. I have in my possession his printer's
copy, and the various revisions in his own handwriting--probably a
dozen in all.

Six years after the first verses were written, Mr. Allison decided
to inject a woman into his "Reminiscence of Treasure Island," as he
styles it, which was most adroitly done in the fifth verse--last
written--and in the private copies it is set in Italics as a
delicate intimation that the theme of a wo