“ This version of the song was collected from the singing of Harry Cox of Norfolk.
In eighteen hundred and twenty-three
On March the thirteenth day,
we hoisted our colours to the top of the mast
And for Greenland bore away, brave boys
And for Greenland bore away.
The lookout in the crosstrees stood
With spyglass in his hand;
There's a whale, there's a whale
There's whalefish he cried
And she blows at every span, brave boys
She blows at every span
The captain stood on the quarter deck
The ice was in his eye
Overhaul, overhaul! ”