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1. Brazilians and Chinese. His ship had probably docked in the harbours of the Rio Grande and Shanghai.
2. Beneath the kauri trees. The huge old kauris grow in Northland and Coromandel in New Zealand. The sailor was probably whaling out of 1830s Kororareka in Northland.
3. Where they call you mate. Australia. Sealers were working out of Sydney harbour. But see 12 below.
4. Around the Horn. Cape Horn is at the bottom of South America. Before the Panama Canal was built, this was the sea route from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. Very cold and stormy.
5. Across the Line. The Equator, a line on the map. Hot and often windless. Sailing ships could be becalmed for days on end.
6. The Gulf Stream. A strong nor-easterly current flowing out of the Gulf of Mexico and up the eastern cost of the USA.
7. Table Bay. A natural harbour overlooked by Cape Town near the Cape of Good Hope at the bottom of Arfica. Before the Suez Canal was built, this was the sea route from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean, with a run downwind to New Zealand.
8. Row-lock. It gives leverage to your oar. Pronounce it as "rollick."
9. Stewart. Stewart Island is below New Zealand's two other bigger islands. Wild, wet, windy, cold.
10. The Strait is Foveaux Strait between Stewart Island and the South Island of NZ. A rough and dangerous stretch of water. Sealers were working in this area in the early 1800s.
11. Milford Sound. Sheltered harbour for sealers, 200 nautical miles nor'west of Foveaux Strait.
In his article The Bush Poet in 'The Canterbury Times', 24 September 1913.
"I've traded with the Maoris, Brazilians and Chinese,
I've courted half-caste beauties beneath the kauri trees;
I've travelled along with a laugh and a song
In the land where they grow "mate",12
Around the Horn and home again,
For that is the sailor's way.
Chorus
I've crossed the Line, the Gulf Stream, I've been in Table Bay;
Around the Horn and Home again, For that is the sailor's way!"
12. Mate is yerba maté. Apparently it is correctly pronounced as "mo-TA," but was probably sung as "mar-tay" in this version, to rhyme with "sailor's way." Yerba maté is a tea made from the leaf of Ilex paraguariensis, the Paraguayian holly, and is widely drunk throughout South America for its pick-me-up caffeine properties. Paraguay is of course land-locked, but yerba maté is also grown in Brazil and Argentina. So the sailor had spent time a shore when his ship docked in Buenos Aires
In his same 1913 Canterbury Times article, Cowan also mentioned a local version of this song heard on coastal vessels in the Auckland region. It had these variant lines.
Eastward round by Dusky Sound, and Pegasus - through the Strait,
Port Cooper, Ocean, Tom Kain's Bay, for that is the coaster's fate.
Sam Sampson writes:
"Stewart Island, where I happen to live, is NZ's southernmost inhabited island, with a population of less than 400 inhabitants.
"Dusky Sound is a rather remote part of the SW corner of the South Island of NZ.
"Port Pegasus is at the south end of Stewart Island, and Foveaux Strait at the north end of the island. If the weather was OK, the sailing ships took the shorter route through the Strait - if shitty they went south into rougher water - but at least there was searoom out there."
Port Cooper (Lyttlton Harbour, near Christchurch), Tom Kain's Bay (OKains Bay near Akaroa) and Ocean Bay (near Blenheim) are on the east coast.
Chants
De Marins: Sea Shanties from Dublin to AucklandRudy Sunde and his Auckland maritime mates recorded this version, on a CD released in France.
I've traded with the Maoris, Brazilians, and Chinese.
I've courted dark-eyed beauties beneath the kauri trees.
I've traveled along with a laugh and song in a land where they call you mate,
Around the Horn and home again, for that is the sailor's fate.
CHORUS: I've crossed the Line and Gulf Stream, been round to Table Bay
Around the Horn and home again, for that is the sailor's way.
I've run aground in many a sound without a pilot aboard.
Longboat lowered by candlelight, pushed off and gently oared.
Rollicks creaking, a thumping swell, a wind that would make you ache.
Who would sail the seven seas and share in a sailor's fate? CHORUS
I've sailed out to the northward. I've sailed out to the east.
I've stripped the sail in many a gale, and stood in the calmest seas.
Eastward bound by Dusky Sound, and Pegasus through the straits.
Port Cooper, Ocean, Tom Kain Bay, for that is the coaster's fate. CHORUS
In the 1950s Neil Colquhoun recorded this song, using Cowan's words published in 1913, and a tune by Wellington folkie Jim Delahunty. It was published in "Songs of a Young Country" in 1965, and you can see and hear a few differences from today's rendering of it.
Delahunty/Colquhoun 1950s Compare with today's singing
This version is from the singing of Stan Hugill. He was the shantyman on the Garthpool, the last British commercial sailing ship, and wrecked in 1929 off the Cape Verde Islands. Hugill gives a "jumpy" 6/8 time tune, and these words. Johnson Girls CD
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We've courted gay Peruvian girls and French girls and
Chinese Spanish girls and Dutch girls and dainty Japanese To far Australia and Honolulu where the Hawaiian maidens play A different girl in every port for that's the sailor's way O shining is the north star as it hangs off our starboard bow We're homeward bound for Liverpool town and our hearts are in it now for we've crossed the line and the gulf stream, been round by Table Bay Around the Horn and home again, for that's the sailor's way And it's goodbye to Deirdre, we're off to sea once more Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way In calm or storm or rain or shine the shellback doesn't mind On the ocean swell he works like hell for the gal he's left behind He beats it north, he runs far south, he doesn't get much pay He's always on a losing game, for that's the sailor's way We'll get paid off in Liverpool and go out on a spree We'll eat and drink and have some fun and forget the bloody sea And Jack will go with his sweet Marie and Pat with his 'Cushla play But I'll get drunk and turn in me bunk for that's the sailor's way And it's goodbye to Maggie, we're off to sea once more Sailor Jack always comes back to the gals he do adore He'll cross the line and the gulf stream, go round by Table Bay Around the Horn and home again for that's the sailor's way |
There is also a version from Nova Scotia, collected by William Doerflinger in 1930, with the same tune as the epic slave ship chanty The Flying Cloud. It is in his 1951 songbook, Shantymen and Shantyboys.
| I've
sailed among the Yankees, the Spaniards and Chinese. I've lain down with the yellow girls beneath the tall palm trees. I've crossed the Line and Gulf Stream, and around by Table Bay, And around Cape Horn and home again. Oh, that's the sailor's way! Oh, Bobby'll go to his darling, and Johnny'll go to his dear, And Mike will go to his wife and fam'ly, and Andrew for pipes and beer; But I'll go to the dance hall to hear the music play, For around Cape Horn and home again, oh, that is the sailor's way! |
T:Across the Line
M:4/4
L:1/4
Q:100
K:G
"C"C|C>CCC| GG2G|"F"A3/ B/ A E|"C"G3G|"F"A3/A/AE| "C"GE2E|
"G7"D3/E/DA,|"C"C3 C|"C"C/C/ CC C/C/|GG/G/G G/G/|"F"AB/B/AE|
"C"G3G|"F"A3/A/"Am"AE|"C"GE"Am"D2z/C/|"G7"D/DE/CA,|"C"C3"CHORUS"C|c3/B/"Am"(A2|A)G(EG)|
"C"G3G|"F"ABAE|"C"G3 C|"F"c3/B/"Am"(A2|A)E"C"GE|"Am"D3C|"G7"D/DE/DA,|"C"C3|| .
Song List - Home
Published on the web September 25, 2001, Updated August 2006
