THE GREENLAND WHALE FISHERY

We can no longer stay on shore,
Since we're so deep in debt,
So a voyage to Greenland we will go,
Some money for to get - brave boys.

Now when we lay at Liverpool
Our good like ship to man,
'Twas there our names were all wrote down,
And we're bound for Greenland - brave boys.

In eighteen hundred and twenty four,
On March the twenty third,
We hoisted our colours up to our Mast-head,
And for Greenland bore away - brave boys.

But when we came to Greenland,
Our good like ship to moor,
Oh, then we wished ourselves back again
With our friends upon the shore - brave boys.

The boatswain went to the mast head,
With his spy-glass in his hand,
Here's a whale, a whale, a whale, he cried,
And she blows on every spring - brave boys.

The Captain on the quarter deck,
(A very good man was he),
Overhaul, overhaul, your boat tackle fall,
And launch your boats to sea - brave boys.

The boats being launch'd, and the hands got in,
The whale fishes appeared in view,
Resolved was the whole boats' crew,
To steer where the whale fish blew - brave boys.

The whale being struck, and the whale paid on,
She gave a flash with her tail,
She capsized the boat, and lost five men,
Nor did we catch the whale - brave boys.

Bad news unto our Captain brought,
That we had lost the 'Prentice boys,
He, hearing of this dreadful news,
His colours down did haul - brave boys.

The losing of this whale, brave boys,
Did grieve his heart full sore,
But losing of his five brave men,
Did grieve him ten times more - brave boys.

Come, weigh your anchors, my brave boys,
For the winter star I see,
It's time we should leave this cold country,
And for England bear away - brave boys.

For Greenland is a barren place,
Neither light nor day to be seen,
Nought but ice and snow where the whale fish blow,
And the daylight seldom seen - brave boys.

Source: "Real Sailor Songs'" John Ashton, London, 1891 (1972 reissue)

DT #321
Laws K21
see also GREENLAN
@sailor @work @death @animal @whaling
filename[ GRENFIS5
JRO
Apr01
mudcat.org

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