Greenland Whale Fisheries

Twas eighteen hundred and twenty four
On March the eighteenth day
We hoist our colors to the top of the mast
And to Greenland bore away, brave boys
And to Greenland bore away

Oh, the look-out up on the mainmast stood
With a spy-glass in his hand
"There's a whale, there's a whale
There's a whale-fish," he cried
"And she blows at every span, brave boys
And she blows at every span"

The captain stood on the quarterdeck
And the ice was in his eye
"Overhaul, overhaul, let your jib-sheet fall
And put your boats to sea, brave boys
And put your boats to sea!"

Oh, the boats got down and the men aboard
And the whale was full in view
Resolved, resolved was each whaler-man bold
To steer where the whale-fish blew, brave boys
To steer where the whale-fish blew

Now the harpoon struck and the lines played out
But she gave such a flourish with her tail
She capsized our boat and we lost five men
And we could not catch that whale, brave boys
And we could not catch that whale

Oh, the losing of that sperm-whale fish
It grieved our captain sore
But the losing of those five jolly tars
Oh, it grieved him ten times more, brave boys
Oh, it grieved him ten times more

"Up anchor now," the captain cried
"For the winter's star do appear
It is time for to leave this cold country
And for England we will steer, brave boys
And for England we will steer"

Oh, Greenland is a barren place
It's a place that bears no green
Where there's ice and snow, and the whale-fish blows
And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys
And the daylight's seldom seen