No. 229 Victoria or One More River to Cross, Osh 290
Hexatonic, mode 3 A (I II III — V VI VII)
Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
Alas! and did my Savior bleed,
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovreign die?
I have but one more river to cross,
I have but one more river to cross;
I have but one more river to cross,
And then I’ll be at rest.
The text theme of the chorus is seen in the negro spiritual SS 4:
And I hain’t but one more river to cross.
The tune is closely related to ‘Gaines’, HH 122, this collection; ‘Geordie’, Sharp, i., 240; ‘John of Hazelgreen’, Sharp, i., 294; ‘False Young Man’, (2), Sharp, ii., 52; ‘True Lover’s Farewell’, Sharp, ii., 113ff. The ‘Geordie’ text begins with ’As I crossed over London’s Bridge’. This may indicate where the revival folk got their suggestion for tune and text of ‘One More River to Cross’.