When First I Landed Here.
A new original song, by Thatcher.
Tune — “When first I went to sea.”
When first I landed here,
I was struck quite with surprise,
For everything was precious dear,
And rents quite high, no flies.
And rents, &c.
I knew not what to do,
For it made me look quite blue,
When I got on Sandridge pier, my boys,
Affairs seemed awful queer, my boys!
And I dropped many a tear, my boys!
When first I landed here.
When first I landed here,
Everything appeared quite strange;
And when you purchased at the shops,
You seldom got your change.
You seldom got, &c.
Shopkeepers then gave cheek,
But they’re now servile and meek;
Most civilly they invite, my boys,
You at their goods to take a sight, my boys,
They’re a great deal mere polite, my boys,
Than when I landed here.
When first I landed here,
Lots of chaps, no matter who,
In business without funds would start,
And their creditors would do.
And their creditors would do.
They went a-head slap dash;
But they’ve made an awful smash.
And fellows of this sort, my boys,
Go through th’ Insolvent Court, my boys,
And their dog-carts they can’t sport, my boys,
Like when I landed here.
When first I landed here,
Folks rushed to Bendigo;
And went and pitched in Eagle Hawk,
Where lobs were made you know.
Where lobs; &c.
But those days are now gone by;
Getting rich is all my eye;
The Chinese swarm around, my boys,
Puddling every bit of ground, my boys,
And the nuggets are not found, my boys,
Like when I landed here.
When first I landed here,
A tidy sum you’d pay,
If you wanted any one to take
Your boxes on a dray.
Your boxes on a dray.
But the draymen are done brown;
Busses run now in the town;
For threepence you can ride, my boys!
On the knifeboard or inside, my boys!
But no conveyances plied, my boys,
When first I landed here.
When first I landed here,
Folks rushed to purchase land,
No matter if ’twas but a swamp,
They went hand over hand.
They went, &c.
But a lesson lots have learnt,
For their fingers they have burnt;
And each roguish auctioneer, my boys,
Finds his trade get worse each year, my boys,
Champagne won’t draw, ’tis clear, my boys,
Like when first I landed here.
When first I landed here,
Gals were few and far between;
Rich diggers took ’em as they came,
But now they’re not so green.
But now, &c.
Missis Chisholm’s lot is thick,
We now can take our pick;
There’s all sorts, dark and fair, my boys,
Down from black to carroty hair, my boys,
But they were uncommon rare, my boys,
When first I landed here.
Source:
Charles R. Thatcher. Thatcher’s Colonial Songster, Containing All the Choice Local Songs, Parodies, &c., of the Celebrated Chas. R. Thatcher, Charlwood & Son, Melbourne, 1857, pages 3-5
Editor’s notes:
champagne = champagne was used by auctioneers to draw in customers to auctions [see the references to champagne in Charles Thatcher’s songs “Buying Land”, “It’s All Right”, and “When First I Landed Here”]
Chisholm = Caroline Chisholm, who was heavily involved in promoting the welfare of female immigrants to Australia
[Editor: Corrected took em’ to took ’em.]
The Institute of Australian Culture
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