G'day,
From the Penguin Book Of English Folk Songs, Ed Pellow's rendition of the tune of Rounding The Horn can be found here.

ROUNDING THE HORN

The gallant frigate Amphitrite, she lay in Plymouth Sound,
Blue Peter at the fore-mast head, for she was outward bound.
We were waiting there for orders to send us far from home.
Our orders came for Rio, and thence around Cape Horn.

When we arrived at Rio, we prepared for heavy gales;
We set up all our rigging, boys, and bent on all new sails.
From ship to ship they cheered us as we did sail along,
And wished us pleasant weather in rounding of Cape Horn.

When beating off Magellan Straits it blew exceeding hard,
While shortening sail, two gallant tars fell from the tops'l yard.
By angry seas the ropes we threw from their poor hands was torn,
We were forced to leave them to the sharks that prowl around Cape Horn.

When we got round the Horn, my boys, we had some glorious days,
And very soon our killick dropped in Valparaiso Bay.
The pretty girls came down in flocks, I solemnly declare
They're far before the Plymouth girls with their long and curly hair.

They love a jolly sailor when he spends his money free;
They'll laugh and sing and merry, merry be, and have a jovial spree.
And when your money is all gone, they won't on you impose;
They are not like the Plymouth girls that'll pawn and sell your clothes.

Farewell to Valparaiso, and farewell for a while.
Likewise to all the Spanish girls along the coast of Chile.
And if ever I live to be paid off, I'll sit and sing this song.
'God bless those pretty Spanish girls we left around Cape Horn.'

Sung by W. Bolton, Southport, Lancs. (A.G.G. May 1907)

Click here for another version.

Previous song: Robin Hood And The Pedlar.
Next song: The Royal Oak.

Cheers,
Alan