The Pole Star / To the tune of The Man in the Moon

I'll sing you a story, a song of the sea, I'll tell it just like the man told it to me
Though some may deny it, the odd one or two, I swear, cross my heart, that the story is true

Pole Star was laid down on the banks of the Clyde. At her launch, the men cheered as they looked on in pride
A barque with four masts and a hull built for speed, Captain Black looked up at her, a proud man indeed

Chorus; Captain Black was the master, the man in command
Of the Pole Star. He cried, I'm the luckiest man!

A crowd lined the quay as Pole Star sailed away, For Melbourne, the port sailors call Hobson's Bay
Next on to Calcutta to load jute and then, Pole Star turned towards London to sail home again

She rounded the Cape on a wild stormy day And then a huge wave washed the captain away
Even he was surprised when the next wave proved kind Dumping him on the deck of the tall ship behind

Chorus        

He said, I've dropped in from the ship called Pole Star. Are you bound for London? They said, Yes, we are
And sixty days later he stepped ashore there But he couldn't see Pole Star tied up anywhere

He stood on the quayside as Pole Star arrived. It must be the ghost of the captain! they cried
He's come back to haunt us from sea and from foam. No, it's me, laughed the captain, I simply swam home!

Chorus

This is, I believe, an exaggerated account of the maiden voyage of the Loch Torridon in 1882.

http://www.thelochlong.info/Loch_Torridon.htm The first master of the Loch Torridon was Captain Pinder. She loaded a heavy cargo for Melbourne, arriving at Hobson's Bay 105 days out, which did not give a good indication of her sailing capabilities. She then went to Calcutta with a cargo of horses. On August 22nd, 1882, she left Calcutta with a cargo of jute. All went well until off the Cape, were Captain Pinder made a mistake while sailing in a heavy W.N.W. gale. Although the mate begged the Captain not to set the foresail before he put his helm up, Captain Pinder was determined to risk it, having got away with it once before. When he tried the wear the ship around to the starboard tack she got off before the wind and there was not enough way on her. As a result, a tremendous sea broke over her poop and carried Captain Pinder, the 2nd mate, man at the wheel, sailmaker, and a boy overboard. The mate was also swept away, but was saved when a turn of the main-brace held him by the leg. The men overboard could not be rescued in such a sea and were never seen again, the mate bringing the ship home.