The Coast of High Barbary  

Look ahead look astern look the weather and the lee,  
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we,  
There’s a lofty ship to starboard and it’s sailing fast and free,  
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary,   

Oh are you a pirate or a man of war cried we, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
No I am not a pirate but a man o’ war cried he, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 

Then back up your sails and heave your vessel to, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
For we have got some letters to be carried home by you, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 

We’ll back up our topsails and heave our vessel to, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
But only in some harbour and along the side of you, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 

Broadside for broadside they fought all on the main, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
Until at last the frigate shot the pirates mast away, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 

For Quarters for quarters the saucy pirates cried, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
The quarter that we showed them was to sink them on the tide, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 

With cutlass and gun, we fought for hours three, 
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
The ship it was their coffin and their grave it was the sea, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary, 
 

For though it was a cruel sight and grieved us for sore,
Blow high, blow low and so sailed we, 
To see them all a drowning as they tried to swim to shore, 
Sailing down along the coast of High Barbary,