LOOK OUT BELOW
(Charles Thatcher – Tune ‘The Pirate King’)

A young man left his native shore
For trade was bad at home
To seek his fortune in this land
He crossed the briny foam
And when he came to Ballarat
It put him in a glow,
To hear the sound of the windlasses
And the cry, ‘Look out below’

Wherever he turned his wandering eyes
Great wealth he did behold
And peace and plenty hand in hand
By the magic power of gold
Quoth he, ‘As I am young and strong
To the diggings I will go
For I like the sound of the windlasses
And the cry, "Look out below"’

Amongst the rest he took his chance
And his luck at first was vile
But still he resolved to persevere
And at length he made his pile
So says he, ‘I'll take my passage
And home again I'll go
And say farewell to the windlasses
And the cry, “Look out below”’

Arrived in London once again
His gold he freely spent
And into every gaiety
And dissipation went
But pleasure, if prolonged too much
Oft causes pain you know
And he missed the sound of the windlasses
And the cry, ‘Look out below’

And thus he reasoned with himself
‘Oh why did I return?
For a digger's independent life
I now begin to yearn’
Here, purse-proud lords the poor oppress,
But there it is not so
Give me the sound of the windlasses
And the cry, ‘Look out below’

So he started for this land once again
With a charming little wife.
And he finds there's nothing comes up to
A jolly digger's life
Ask him if he'll go back one day
He'll quickly answer, ‘No’
for he loves the sound of the windlasses
And the cry, "Look out below’

Some great images in this video:

Youtube clip

Information on Thatcher:

Australian Dictionary of Biography

NZ Dictionary of Biography

Robert Hoskins 'Goldfield Balladeer' Collins 1977.

--Stewie.