Classic Poem

We may no longer stay on shore
Since we are deep in debt,
So off to Greenland let us steer
Some money, boys, to get, brave boys,
So to Greenland bear away.

In eighteen hundred and twenty-four
On March the twenty-third,
We hoist our colours to the mast head
And for Greenland bore away, brave boys,
And for Greenland bore away.

John Paigent was our captain's name,
Our ship the Lion bold.
We weighed anchor at the bow
To face the storm and cold, brave boys,
And to Greenland bore away.

We were twelve gallant men on board
And to the north did steer.
Old England left we in our wake,
We sailors know not fear, brave boys,
And to Greenland bore away.

Our boatswain to the mast head went
With a spyglass in his hand.
He cries, " A whale! a whale-fish blows,
She blows at every span, brave boys,"
And to Greenland bore away.

Our captain on the quarterdeck,
A violent man was he,
He swore the devil should take us all
If that fish were lost to we, brave boys,
And to Greenland bear away.

Our captain on the quarterdeck,
A violent man was he,
" O'erhaul, o'erhaul!" he loudly cried,
" And launch our boats to sea, brave boys,
And to Greenland bear away."

Our boat being launched and all hands in,
The whale was full in view.
Resolved was every seaman bold
To steer where the whale-fish blew, brave boys,
And to Greenland bear away.

The whale was struck, the line paid out,
She gave a flash with the tail.
The boat capsized, we lost five men
And never caught the whale, brave boys,
And to Greenland bear away.

Bad news we to the captain brought,
We'd lost five 'prentice boys.
Then down his colours he did haul
At hearing this sad news, brave boys,
And from Greenland bore away.

" The losing of the whale," said he,
" Doth grieve my heart full sore.
But the losing of my five brave men
Doth grieve me ten times more, brave boys,"
And from Greenland bore away.

The winter star doth now appear,
So, boys, the anchor weigh.
'Tis time to leave the cold country
And for England bear away, brave boys,
And from Greenland bear away.

For Greenland is a barren place,
A land where grows no green,
But ice and snow where the whale-fish blow
And the daylight's seldom seen, brave boys,
So for England bear away.