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THE TWENTY-THIRD OF MARCH Lead: Peter

From the days of the sailing ship whalers, collected by W.P. Merrick in 1900. The harsh life of whalermen, and their voracious appetite ashore for the pleasures of drink, long denied at sea, is reflected in this well-known forebitter.

LYRICS:

On the twenty-third of March, me boys
We hoisted our topsails
Cryin' heaven above protect us
From a fearsome icy gale
We never was downhearted
Nor let our courage fail
But we bore away up to Greenland
To catch the Greenland whale, brave boys
To catch the Greenland whale

And when we come to Greenland
Where the bitter winds did blow
We tacked up all out in the North
Amongst the frost and snow
Our finger tops was freezing off
Likewise our toenails
As we crawled them decks, me boys
Looking out for the Greenland whales
Looking out for the Greenland whales

And when we come to the Davis Straits
Where the mountains flowed with snow
We tacked about all in the North
Till we heard a whale fish blow
And when we catch this whale, brave boys
Homeward we will steer
We'll make them valleys for to ring
While we're drinking of strong beer
We'll make them lofty alehouses
In London town to roar
And when our money it is all gone
To Greenland go for more, brave boys
To Greenland go for more