Come all you noble colored tars, that plow the raging main;
Come and listen to my story, boys, to a thing that is quite strange;
It was on the eighth of May, my boys, eighteen hundred and twenty-two,
A schooner from Nantucket, boys, with all a colored crew.
A.S. Boston was commander and him we will obey;
We took our anchor on the bow intending to go to sea;
We hauled out for the Great Point Light till we got our bearings on,
Then hauled about for east-south-east till the daylight did dawn.
So it's haul away for Boston, boys, and I do not mean the town;
You can hear the cheers a-ringing as we sail into the sound;
They say this whaling's slavery but we are freemen all –
So haul for Captain Boston, boys, haul on your mainsail haul!
We hauled out for the westward were we intended to cruise awhile;
Thence for the Western Islands in the hopes to get some oil;
A whaling voyage intended that we did mean to pursue
On board the schooner Industry, fourteen was all our crew.
On the fourth day of July, my boys, as you will understand,
It was off between the isles, my boys, we had a noble gam;
There were brigs and ships and schooners, the masters all dandy men,
They all dined aboard the brig Traveler, Joseph Warren in command.
So it's haul away for Boston, boys, and I do not mean the town;
You can hear the cheers a-ringing as we sail into the sound;
They say this whaling's slavery but we are freemen all –
So haul for Captain Boston, boys, haul on your mainsail haul!
We agreed to cruise together until something else prevailed;
On the tenth day of July, my boys, we raised a noble whale;
We lowered away our boats, my boys, to the leeward we did go;
Our second mate having the chase, up to her we did row.
Our consort's boat, the next came up hoping to get a lance;
She flew and fought at such a rate, they did not get the chance;
Now the whale being pretty played out she then began to lag;
The other boats just turned about when we raised the bloody flag.
So it's haul away for Boston, boys, and I do not mean the town;
You can hear the cheers a-ringing as we sail into the sound;
They say this whaling's slavery but we are freemen all –
So haul for Captain Boston, boys, haul on your mainsail haul!
Now to conclude my ditty, boys, bring an end unto my song,
A set of better sailors to a whaleman ne'er belonged;
Here's a health to Captain Boston, his officers and crew,
And if he gets another craft, to sea with him I'll go.
So it's haul away for Boston, boys, and I do not mean the town;
You can hear the cheers a-ringing as we sail into the sound;
They say this whaling's slavery but we are freemen all –
So haul for Captain Boston, boys, haul on your mainsail haul!
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