LYRICS:
To the south of the inlet, hear the waves’ restless sound
Above the shoals unforgiving, a sandstone tower is found
Quarried back in Sydney, each block cut to size
Numbered and shipped to Twofold Bay
Then by bullock to the headland’s rise
There on top of the tower For the whole world to see
He built it as a lighthouse but left it incomplete
Emblazoned in dark lettering a B, O, Y and D
Soon it was used as a lookout for
The giants of the icy deep
Chorus:
Oh a whaler’s life is a hard life
There’s so much left to chance
Yes a whaler’s life is a hard life
It can lead you on a merry ,
Lead you on a merry dance
The loud crack of a gunshot – a sighting far at sea
Then out from Kiah Inlet two whaleboats madly flee
All hands to the oars strain, the harpoon finds its mark
The whale continues on its way
It’s starting to get very dark
A shout from one of the whaleboats “Cut the rope, do it quick!”
The whale turns ’round thrashing wildly like a giant lunatic
One boat smashed to pieces, not everyone is found
Young Peter, one of the whale crew
Is lost and is feared to be drowned
Guided by a lone lantern from the stone tower base
The overloaded whaleboat returns from the hectic chase
Soon at Boyd’s Tower another name to show
That of poor young Peter who
Was killed by a whale’s cruel blow.
© Jim Low |
