This is the version on page 33 of Volume 1 of the Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection. Greig and Duncan collected during the first two decades of the 20th century. Greig collected this particular song on 10 April 1908.


FAREWELL TO TARWATHIE

1 Farewell to Tarwathie, adieu Mormond Hill
Dear land of my fathers, I bid you farewell
I'm bound for Greenland and ready to sail
In hopes to find riches in hunting the whale.

2 Adieu to my comrades, a while we must part
Likewise the dear girlie, who has won my heart
The cold ice on Greenland my love will not chill
The longer my absence, the stronger love's thrill.

3 Awhile I must leave you and go to the sea
Wish luck to the bonnie ship that I'm going wi'
And when I am sailing upon the wide main
Be cheerful and happy till I come again.

4 Our ship she is well rigged, and ready to sail
Our crew they are anxious to follow the whale
Where the icebergs float, and the stormy winds blow
Where the land and the ocean is covered with snow.

5 The cold land of Greenland is barren and bare
No seed time or harvest is ever known there
The birds here sing sweetly on mountain and dale
But there's nae a birdie to sing to the whale.

6 There's no habitation for man to live there
The king of that country's the fierce Greenland bear.
There'll be no temptation to tarry long there
With our ship bumper full we'll homeward repair.


Singer: JOHN MILNE (collected by Greig)
no tune

Notes:

15. FAREWELL TO TARWATHIE Cf. George Scroggie, The Peasant's Lyre: A Collection of Miscellaneous Poems (Aberdeen, 1857), pp. 73-5; and Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl, The Singing Island (London, 1960) No. 56.
"This song was sent by Mr John Milne, Maud, with a note on its history. It was written, he says, by George Scroggie early in the fifties of last century. Scroggie was married to Mr Milne's aunt, and was at one time miller at Federate in the parish of New Deer ... 'Tarwathie' is a very favourable specimen of Scroggie's versifying powers." (G. Ob. 85) Tarwathie is about two miles north of the village of Strichen. Gw 16.9-10, April 1908.