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The Cruise of the Dove 
The Cruise of the Dove 
Ye men of renown who are a-swearing For some noble deeds your lordships have done Come listen to me and hear things full as daring Which we brother spouters think nothing but fun 
It was a fine ship with prime captain and crew Surpassed by none and equaled by few With courage undaunted by oars and by sail So nimble we chased the spermacety whale 
The name of our ship I suppose you'd like to know The name of our captain and owners also She was called the Dove you will see in my song And nothing I tell you I swear it is wrong 
Our captain's name is Butler a man fine and bold Our owners named Hazzard and Worth I hear told On the Coast of Peru we were destined to cruise But if we'd stopped there it would not have been much use. 
Then away to the westward in hopes for to find Some work for all hands being that way inclined Then away to the northward to Japan likewise Where the whales both the irons and lances defies 
There she breathes there she blows was the cry heard one day The captain looked up and hailed out where away Right ahead and abeam on each hand them we spy Like logs around us so sweetly they lie. 
The captain went up and he soon gave the word Being his orders by all should be heard So back the main yard and stop the ship's way Do swing out your boats boys and lower away 
Now our boats being lowered there arose a contest Among the boats crews to see which should do best Spring on says the headsman don't let them pass by When up starts a whale and lay on is the cry 
Stand up was the next word that I heard him say 
Into her she's got it lay on the other way I have got a good iron just over her fin So work sharp my boys and pull on her again 
Now we worked for our lives while each tar done his best We brought the school to and had work for the rest And while that our whales were bleeding and dying The shipkeepers so anxious were to windward ever plying. 
Now our whales are turned up and we prepared for our toil We will soon get on board with the blubber to boil When it's boiled out and stowed down in the hold We'll drink greasy luck to the whalers so bold 
Our ship she is full and home we are bound We fill up our glasses and drink all around We fill up our glasses and so merry we will be And drink a good health to the liberty tree 
Now in New York harbor our good ship lies moored With a hold full of oil and all hands well on board Being paid by our owners we leave captain and mate We're bound for the park boys to blow us out straight 
From Songs the Whalemen Sang, Huntington Collected from the journal of the Minerva, 1845