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I
IN seventeen hundred and ninety-four, | |
| On March the twentieth day; | |
| We hoist our colours to the mast, | |
| And for Greenland bore away, brave boys | |
| And for Greenland bore away. | 5 |
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II
We were twelve gallant men aboard, | |
| And to the North did steer: | |
| Old England left we in our wake— | |
| We sailors knew no fear, brave boys! | |
| We sailors knew no fear. | 10 |
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III
Our boatswain to the mast-head went, | |
| Wi’ a spy glass in his hand; | |
| He cries, ‘A whale! a whale doth blow, | |
| She blows at every span, brave boys! | |
| She blows at every span.’ | 15 |
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IV
Our Captain on the master deck | |
| (A very good man was he), | |
| ‘Overhaul! overhaul! let the boat tackle fall, | |
| And launch your boat to sea, brave boys! | |
| And launch your boat to sea.’ | 20 |
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V
Our boat being launch’d, and all hands in, | |
| The whale was full in view; | |
| Resolved was then each seaman bold | |
| To steer where the whale-fish blew, brave boys! | |
| To steer where the whale-fish blew. | 25 |
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VI
The whale was struck, and the line paid out, | |
| She gave a flash with her tail; | |
| The boat capsized, and we lost four men, | |
| And we never caught that whale, brave boys! | |
| And we never caught that whale. | 30 |
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VII
Bad news we to the Captain brought, | |
| The loss of four men true. | |
| A sorrowful man was our Captain then, | |
| And the colours down he drew, brave boys! | |
| And the colours down he drew. | 35 |
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VIII
‘The losing of this whale,’ said he, | |
| ‘Doth grieve my heart full sore; | |
| But the losing of four gallant men | |
| Doth hurt me ten times more, brave boys! | |
| Doth hurt me ten times more. | 40 |
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IX
‘The winter star doth now appear, | |
| So, boys, the anchor weigh; | |
| ’Tis time to leave this cold country, | |
| And for England bear away, brave boys! | |
| And for England bear away. | 45 |
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X
‘For Greenland is a barren place, | |
| A land where grows no green, | |
| But ice and snow, and the whale-fish blow, | |
| And the daylight ’s seldom seen, brave boys! | |
| And the daylight ’s seldom seen!’ | 50 |
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