Saltpetre Shanty

Used at the capstan in the Guano and Saltpetre trades of the Pacific coast of South America.  Hugill tells us it was well known to Liverpool seamen, but rarely printed because the original words were “extremely bawdy”.  "Pedro the Crimp" or kidnapper would dope sailors’ beer – they would wake to find themselves sold to a different ship, or not at sea at all, but perhaps working ashore somewhere like Las Chinchas, a group of islands off Peru

Saltpetre Shanty

To old Callao we're  bound to go - Oh roll
To old Callao we're  bound to go  - Oh roll
We're sailing  away to Valipo Bay,
To the flash girls of Chile who'll take all our pay.
Oh, roll, rock your bars,
Heave her hi-o, rock her, oh roll.

Las putas of Chile, they cannot be beat

Las putas of Chile, they cannot be beat

They'll bed us and wed us and treat us just fine

But we know that they're robbin' us most of the time

 

So keep a close watch and a keen weather-eye
So keep a close watch and a keen weather-eye
On the girls from Coquimbo to old Coronel
And the favours they're only too willing to sell

 

Old Pedro the Crimp, boys, we know him of old
Old Pedro the Crimp, boys, we know him of old
He's primin' his vino and dopin' his beer
To the Chinchas he'll ship us if we don't steer clear

 

So when it comes time to sail away home

Yes when it comes time to sail away home

From some old seaport on the west coast of hell
 We'll sing adios and bid thee farewell