- Greenland Whale Fisheries

It was eighteen-hundred and forty-four

On June the thirteenth day,

Our good ship she did anchor weigh

And for Greenland bore away, brave boys,

And for Greenland bore away.

Well the lookout on the crosstrees stood

With a spy-glass in his hand.

There’s a whale, there’s a whale, there’s a whale! he cried,

And she blows at every span, brave boys,

And she blows at every span!

Well, our Captain stood on the quarterdeck

And a the ice was in his eye.

Overhaul, overhaul, let your davit tackles fall!

And you put your boats to the sea, brave boys,

And you put your boats to the sea!

So our boats were launched and the crew aboard

Till the whale was in full view.

And resolved was each sailor bold,

To steer where the whalefish blew, brave boys,

To steer where the whalefish blew.

Well, the whale was struck and the line paid out

But she gave a great flourish with her tail.

Our boat capsized and we lost five men

And we did not catch that whale, brave boys,

And we did not catch that whale.

Oh, the loosing of those five gallant men

It grieved our captain sore;

But, the loosing of that bloody sperm whale

It grieved him ten times more, brave boys,

It grieved him ten times more!

Oh, well Greenland is a dreadful place,

Where the daylight’s seldom seen

There’s ice and snow and the whale-fishies blow

And the land never was green, brave boys,

And the land never was green

The winter star did now appear,

And it’s time our anchor for to weigh,

To stow below our running gear

And from Greenland bear away, brave boys,

From Greenland bear away.

Greenland
whaling