CZTERY REFY - Balaena

The Balaena

Words traditional
Music traditional: "The Balaena"

The noble fleet of whalers went sailing from Dundee.
Well manned by British sailors to work upon the sea,
On the Western Ocean passage none with them can compare,
But the smartest ship to make the trip is "Balaena", I declare.

It happened on a Tuesday, three days out of Dundee,
The gale took off her quarter-boat and a couple of men, you see.
It battered at her bulwarks, her stanchions and her rails,
And left the old "Balaena", boys, a-frothing in the gale.

Oh, the wind is on her quarter, her engines working free... Bold Jackman cut his canvas and fairly raised his steam,
And Captain Guy with "Erin Boy" was ploughing through the stream,
And the noble "Terra Nova", her boilers nearly burst,
And still at the old whaling grounds, "Balaena" got there first.

Oh, the wind is on her quarter, her engines working free... And now the season's over and the ship half-full of oil,
Our flying jib boom points for home towards our native soil,
And when that we have landed, boys, where the rum is very cheap,
We'll drink success to the skipper's health for getting us over the deep.

Oh, the wind is on her quarter, her engines working free...

"The Balaena" - On the turn of the 19th century whaling ships were provided with steam engines. Speed played an increasing role in competing for first place in fisheries and returning fastest with cargo. The “Balaena” (141 ft, 260 BRT, 65 HP steam engine) frequently won the usual races on the route Dundee - St. John, from where the way led to the northern whaling grounds. She bravely served her duty in the Dundee fleet until 1914. The tune was probably brought from North America where it had earlier been known in a version about a ship “Polynia”.

"Balaena" is a Polish version of this song.