Greenland Whale Fisheries

In 1846 and of March the eighteenth day We hoisted our colors to the top of the mast And for Greenland sailed away, brave boys And for Greenland sailed away The lookout, in the crosstrees he stood With spyglass in his hand There's a whale, there's a whale 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 The ice was in his eye Overhaul, overhaul, let your gibsheets fall And you'll put your boats to sea, brave boys And you'll put your boats to sea The harpoon struck and the line played out With a single flourish of his tail He capsized the boat and we lost five men And we did not catch that whale, brave boys And we did not catch that whale, whoa! The losing of those five jolly 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 And Greenland is a barren land 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