Our captain stood upon the deck, a spyglass in his hand
A viewing of those gallant whales that blowed at every strand.
Get your tubs in your boats, my boys, and by your braces stance,
And we'll have one of those gallant whales, hand, boys, over hand!
Ch: So be cheery, my lads! let your hearts never fail!
While the bold harpooner is a striking of the whale!
"Overhaul, overhaul! Your davit-tackles fall,
Till you land your boats in the sea one and all!"
Our waist-boat got down, and of course she got the start:
Lay me no, Captain Bunker, I'm hell for a long dart!
Our first mate he struck, and the whale he went down;
The captain he stood by all ready for to bend on;
Which caused the whale to vomic, and the blood for to spout:
In less than ten minutes he rolled both fins out!
John Ross Brown in Etchings of a Whaling Cruise (1846)