I first heard this song as a Tony Roberts & John Barrand recording. It's one I've always had trouble singing and listening to without tearing up - dunno why (maybe it's a past life thing, LoL!)    Anyway, thanks Tim Laycock, for a lovely chune!

Recently I came across 2 x You Tube versions of interest, one from a session singer named Noelle (actually there are 2 clips of her singing it).    BtW, I'd love to be at her Sessions (two pubs in MN) : full-on singing and few instruments!

[ "The Essex" was sunk in 1820 by a Sperm Whale and out of 20 men, only 8 survived, most after drifting the ocean for some 95 days and driven to cannibalism to survive. There are myriad webpages about the fate of "The Essex" and Captn Pollard and the other survivors, and various books written (some from the survivors). Melville's novel "Moby Dick" was based in no small part upon the disaster. ]

Other Mudcat threads also detail these happenings.

The other YouTube version I liked was by McKasson / Alexander / Cotter and their official vidclip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d28jmlWNcXw
contains a Comment with a link to : "Pitcairn Islands Port of Call record book, August 19th, 1847" with reference to that earlier sorry saga.

It was also put forward that the captain of the "Three Brothers" (another Nantucket Whaler and not to be confused with Captn Pollard's next ill-fated whaleship "The Two Brothers"), presumably one Joseph Mitchell, likely wrote that poem now known as "Row On" into the ship's log. The log is apparently available at the Nantucket Historical Association website, for those who know how to access such items!!   It was also observed that "Note that there are just 8 days between the Port of Call entry and the logbook entry."

So, did he actually compose it, or, remember it from his reading of GPR James' "Arabella Stuart" novel of 1844?????

Sadly, my basic Google searching today has not brought up much mention at all, regarding Capt Mitchell or "The 3 Brothers". Rather disappointing.

Anyway, a thunderstorm is almost over me - gotta go!!!
Cheers!
Rich-Joy
Down Under