The Alexander

Farewell my home of Chelsea
Farewell to mother gin
I could see right through her dreadful hull
At the suffering she holds within

A fever broke out amongst the men
As we rocked upon the Thames
The shadow of a raven blew through our midst
And departed sixteen men

Yank me up upon the deck
And whip me till i'm raw
I'd take a thousand lashes to the back
To see my love once more
Are there daffodils and bluebells on that distant shore
Oh transport

We sailed strong out of Portsmouth
Thorough Tenerife, through Cape town
With whispers of a mutiny
And rumours a soldier drowned

So we scratched at our leg irons
To the groaning of the mast
What wretchedness awaits us there
When we reach shore at last

It was the lice that held our clothes together
In the shadow of the whip
I wish this prison where to strike a reef
And drown the bastard ship
Are there daffodils and bluebells on that distant shore
Oh transport

The young man huddled next to me
He coughed and choked and wept
With auburn hair wet against his chin
We shivered while we slept

Come morn' i woke with fever gone
Rose to the smell of death
The young man with auburn hair
Had breathed his final breath

They dragged me through Old Bailey
A highway robber i
To rot within this floating hell
Void of earth and sky
There's no daffodils nor bluebells on that distant shore
Oh transport

Hoisted up upon the deck and through the silver spray
I raised a hand against the sun and i saw
Botany bay