101 - Towrope Girls

Some’s loading at 'frisco with cargoes of grain
Or Oregon timber in the fog and the rain
But we’re loading nitrate at old iquique
And the girls have a got a hold of our tow rope today

Goodbye Serafina, Rosita and Luz,
The girls on the tow rope are steady and true,
Mothers and sisters and sweethearts and all,
It’s haul away! All the way! Haul away haul!

The last sack of nitrate is stowed down at last
The southern cross burns at the head of the mast
We’ll sing fare thee well as we get under way
For the girls have got a hold of our tow rope today

We’re rounding the horn with our gallants all set
Our lee rail is under, we’re cursing, you bet
But the old man’s a driver he’ll brook no delay
For the girls have got a hold of our tow rope today

Cape stiff is behind us blue waters beneath
Our wake’s like a millrace and bone in her teeth
We’ve entered the trades now, we’ll soon make her pay
For the girls have got a hold of our tow rope today

The mate’s on the poop deck a-shootin the sun
He’ll soon be deducing how far the ship’s run
Let’s crack the old hooker and get on our way
For the girls have got a hold of our tow rope today

At last we’re in harbour the rags are all furled
The girl’s are all waiting, we’re on top of the world
That’ll do cries the mate. Now it’s fourteen month’s pay
And the girls have got a hold of our tow rope today.