She left St. Pierre on the tenth of May,
Prince Edward Island bound;
For the winter's done and there's very little rum,
In the harbours and the towns.
And the fishermen watch for the dirty sail,
As they trawl on Tracadie Bay;
And they give a great shout when they finally figure out,
Nellie Banks is on her way.
There's rum in the hold of the Nellie J. Banks,
Prince Edward Island bound;
Late on a night when the moon shines bright,
You can find her off Georgetown.
There's Captain Lillington at the helm,
He comes from Newfoundland;
With a bottle of brandy always on the deck,
And an extra case on hand.
He's drunk but he holds a leeward stance,
As he sails the schooner true;
And the government cutters simply fall astern,
When he shows what the Banks can do.
There's rum in the hold of the Nellie J. Banks,
Prince Edward Island bound;
Late on a night when the moon shines bright,
You can find her off Georgetown.
Well, the government cutters hug the shore,
With a glass upon Rum Row;
For they know the Nellie Banks is out upon the bay,
And a runner is sure to show.
And Lillington keeps her four miles out,
Though the boundary it is three;
But late at night when the cutter's out of sight,
She slips into a lee.
There's rum in the hold of the Nellie J. Banks,
Prince Edward Island bound;
Late on a night when the moon shines bright,
You can find her off Georgetown.
On an August night in the pale moonlight,
With the Banks off Short Point shore;
A shot rang out and a voice began to shout,
"Heave to, or we'll fire more!"
And the morning light saw a terrible sight,
As the Banks was towed away;
No more will the Nellie J. Banks run rum,
No more will the fishermen say:
There's rum in the hold of the Nellie J. Banks,
Prince Edward Island bound;
Late on a night when the moon shines bright,
You can find her off Georgetown.
Yes, there's rum in the hold of the Nellie J. Banks,
We saw her sail today;
You'll find her on the nights when the moon don't shine,
Three miles off Tracadie Bay.