GREENLAND WHALE FISHERIES
(Traditional)

In eighteen hundred and fortysix
Of May the eighteenth day
We hoisted our colors to the top of the mast
And for Greenland bore away, brave boys
And for Greenland bore away

The lookout in the crosstrees stood
A spyglass in his hand
There she blows, there she blows
And a whalefish he cried
And she blows at every span, brave boys
And she blows at every span

The captain stood on the quarterdeck
A fine little man was he
Overhaul, overhaul! Let your davit tackles fall
And you'll launch your boats for sea, brave boys
And you'll launch your boats for sea

Our harpoon struck and the line paid out
But she gave a flourish with her tail
She capsized the boat and we lost five men
And we never caught that whale, brave boys
And we never caught that whale

The losing of those five gallant men
It grieved the captain sore
But the losing of that fine whalefish
Now it grieved him ten times more, brave boys
Now it grieved him ten times more

Now Greenland is a barren land
And a land that bears no green
Where there's ice and snow, and the whalefishes blow
And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys
And the daylight's seldom seen