The lyrics posted from "The Penguin Book of Canadian Folk Songs" are the same as those in GEST Songs of Newfoundland and Labrador, with sheet music, chords, lyrics and two midis, online: Farewell

GEST says the title originally was "The Nova Scotia Song."

There is a story that this version of the Tannahill "The Soldier's Adieu" originated with WWI, and is about a Canadian sailor's loss of his brothers in that War. I have no information that would support this story, but it has entered Canadian folklore and is also found on the internet.
In Canada, at least outside of the Nova Scotia area, the song remained obscure long after its collection in the 1930s. It was not included in the Centennial Collection of Canadian Folk Songs, 1967, produced by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

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Note: the second MIDI at the GEST site appears to be a Barry Taylor creation.
-Joe Offer-