The Dead Men's Song: Being the Story of a Poem and a Reminiscent Sketch of its Author Young Ewing Allison

In Short

This volume tells the story behind Derelict, a sea ballad expanded from the famous four-line pirate chantey in Treasure Island. Written by Louisville journalist Young Ewing Allison and published by his close associate Champion Ingraham Hitchcock, the book details Allison’s creative life, his operatic ventures, and his journalistic career. It uncovers how a modest editor came to write a poem so convincing that readers and critics debated whether it was a genuine historical sea chantey. The work survives as both an intimate portrait of a unique writer and a fascinating study in literary myth-making.

The Story

The book opens with an affectionate portrait of Young Ewing Allison, a Louisville newspaper man whose quiet manner and selective deafness shield him from life's trivialities while allowing him to focus on books, friendship, and writing. Left partially deaf after childhood illness, Allison turned to his father’s library for companionship, eventually entering the printing trade as a young teenager. His daily life is consumed by writing brilliant insurance journals and editing daily newspapers, but his true passions lie in literature, sports, light opera, and human nature.

Hitchcock traces how Allison teamed with composer Henry Waller to write librettos for operas such as The Ogallallas. Though many of these stage works were pursued by bad luck, one project yielded an unexpected masterpiece. Mesmerized by the four-line refrain sung by Captain Billy Bones in Stevenson’s Treasure Island—"Fifteen men on the dead man's chest"—Allison set out to finish the song that Stevenson left incomplete. Waller composed a haunting baritone melody, and Allison drafted three stanzas depicting the grim aftermath of a bloody mutiny aboard a pirate ship.

Over the years, Allison revised and expanded the work into a six-stanza poem titled Derelict (also known as On Board the Derelict or The Ballad of Dead Men). The poem paints a vivid, terrifying picture of fifteen dead buccaneers rotting aboard a floating wreck, surrounding chest upon chest of Spanish gold while the sea and weather slowly claim them. Hitchcock details how this poem captured the public imagination. It circulated in newspapers, was recited in clubs, and was even mistaken by scholars and critics for an authentic eighteenth-century West Indian chantey.

When literary columnists raised questions regarding the poem’s origin and technical seamanship, Hitchcock stepped forward to document the true history. The narrative includes letters from Allison explaining his inspiration, along with humorous exchanges about his lack of actual nautical experience—which consisted mainly of dime novels and sleeping through two short coastal trips. By gathering manuscripts, original artwork, and personal letters, Hitchcock secures his friend’s legacy, proving how a quiet editor from Kentucky crafted a legendary piece of pirate lore.

How It Unfolds

Portrait of a friend Champion Ingraham Hitchcock introduces Young Ewing Allison, describing his witty personality, his practical approach to his partial deafness, and his deep love for literature and conversation.

The newspaper man The narrative examines Allison’s youth, showing how an early love of printing led him away from formal schooling and into a career as a versatile journalist, novel reviewer, and author of press stories.

Operatic ambitions The author outlines Allison's work writing operatic librettos alongside composer Henry Waller, highlighting works like The Ogallallas that contained striking songs despite suffering from persistent production misfortunes.

Building the ballad Hitchcock records how Allison took Stevenson's four-line refrain from Treasure Island and composed initial stanzas for singer Eugene Cowles, later refining them over many years into a finished six-stanza poem.

Literary confusion The narrative shows how Derelict gained widespread fame, appearing in magazines and scrapbooks until critics and readers mistakenly debated whether it was a genuine historical buccaneer chantey.

Setting the record straight Hitchcock presents letters and notes—including Allison's own lighthearted admissions regarding his reliance on dime-novel sea lore—to definitively prove Allison's authorship and celebrate the poem's artistic triumph.

The People

• Young Ewing Allison: A modest, extraordinarily well-read Louisville journalist and poet. Partially deaf since childhood, he uses his sharp wit and quiet observation to craft brilliant editorials, light operas, and poems. He desires only to write for the joy of creation and the pleasure of his friends, ultimately earning lasting fame through his pirate ballad Derelict.
• Champion Ingraham Hitchcock: Allison's close friend, business associate, and devoted literary collector. Driven by deep admiration for Allison's genius, he systematically gathers his friend's scattered lead-pencil manuscripts, defends his authorship against confused critics, and publishes this record of his life and work.
• Henry Waller: A talented composer who collaborates with Allison on operatic projects like The Ogallallas. He provides the initial musical inspiration and baritone theme that prompts Allison to expand Stevenson's pirate quatrain into a full song.
• Robert Louis Stevenson: The celebrated author whose four-line sailor chantey in Treasure Island serves as the creative spark for Allison's poem, haunting readers with a desire to hear the rest of the song.

In Its Own Voice

"If anyone ever says anything worth repeating, he always tells me about it anyway."

When asked by Hitchcock whether he misses a great deal of life by being partially deaf, Allison offers this characteristically calm, humorous defense of his condition.

"The smell of printer's ink has never since been out of my hair."

In a pencil-written letter, Allison recalls the boyhood afternoon when he expanded a tiny news item into a dramatic full-length story, marking the exact moment he became hooked on print.

"I feel stronger in my piracy than in my seamanship. I love criticism--especially of poetry."

Responding to a veteran sailor who criticized the nautical terms in Derelict, Allison good-naturedly admits that his ocean knowledge came from dime novels rather than actual seafaring.

What It's Really About

At its core, the book explores the nature of literary creation and how genuine art can take root in the public imagination. It demonstrates how a writer's imagination can expand a small fragment of fiction—Stevenson's four-line pirate ditty—into a poem so rich in mood and texture that it passes into folklore. The narrative also examines the quiet satisfaction of writing for pure love rather than commercial fame. Through Hitchcock's tribute to Allison, the text celebrates deep personal friendship, the shared joy of books, and the subtle craft required to make manufactured fiction feel like authentic, ancient history.

Why Read It Today

This short volume is a treat for fans of Treasure Island, lovers of classic journalism, and anyone fascinated by pirate lore or literary history. Reading it feels like sitting in a cozy late-night library while two old friends share literary gossip, vintage letters, and rare manuscript drafts.

The prose moves with an easy, conversational warmth, though modern readers should keep a few period context points in mind. Because the text includes transcripts of old press debates, operatic lyrics, and full poetic stanzas, its structure is episodic rather than a tight linear narrative. Some historical opera excerpts and theatrical references may feel dated, but the core story of Allison’s creative spark remains crisp and engaging. What stays with you is the picture of a modest writer whose imaginative ballad was so vivid, grim, and perfectly pitched that the world mistook it for a real deep-sea chantey.

<ElicitationsGroup message="Here are a few ways to explore this literary history further:"> <Elicitation label="Read the full text of Allison's poem Derelict" query="Show me the full text of Young Ewing Allison's poem Derelict (or On Board the Derelict) as presented in the book."/> <Elicitation label="Explore the history of Stevenson's Treasure Island refrain" query="Tell me more about how Robert Louis Stevenson came up with the line 'Fifteen men on the dead man's chest' for Treasure Island."/> </ElicitationsGroup>