A goodbye

The morning is upon me

And I will soon be gone

To seek another destiny

In the land beyond the dawn.

Far far away my soul will be

Down in Van Dieman’s land

I could not feed my family

Out here near Banna Strand

Our crops they vanished one by one

The cattle are no more

We could not even pay our rent

So our  landlord showed us the door.

We had nowhere to go to

Nor family nor friend.

So I stole some bread to feed them

And was sent to Van Dieman’s land

My country it is proud I know

And the hills they run with blood

From those who fought in ninetyeight

May they rest in peace with God.

But now I must depart from here

My ship lies at the quay

Her name is Duke of Wellington

And she sails to Botany Bay