Background Story
Every year, the whaling fleet would sail from Dundee, Scotland to Newfoundland, there to pick up men to hunt the whales. Since the first ships to make it to Newfoundland would be able to pick the most experienced men, it became a bit of a competition to see who could make it in the fastest time. The other ships named in the song, the Arctic, the Aurora, the Terra Nova, and the Husky, are all ships from the Dundee Seal and Whale Fishing Company fleet. The Aurora was the ship that rescued the crew of the Polynia in 1891 when it sunk. Art Jackman, Mullins, and Fairweather were a couple of the captains of the ships at that time. There are records of a Captain Fairweather in command of the Balaena (mentioned in 1894 and 1896), an Alex Fairweather in command of the Terra Nova (1885-1893), and a J. Fairweather for the Aurora (1882-1886).
This song has been published in a number of song books, including the 1955 edition of Gerald S. Doyle's Old-Time Songs and Poetry of Newfoundland, as well as Paul Mercer's Newfoundland Songs and Ballads in Print 1842-1974 and Michael Taft's A Regional Discography of Newfoundland and Labrador 1904-1972 both available from Memorial University.
Read more about this topic: Old Polina
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