There’s a town called Maldonado,

That’s the place where I would be;

There’s a girl in Maldonado,

And she gave her heart to me.

Starved with sixty days of sailing,

How we swaggered to the shore,

Hands in pockets, eyes cocked sideways,

At the girl in every door.

Sweet they fluttered to our shoulders,

She, my girl, the fairest girl,

And I took her for a plaything,

Face of flower and heart of pearl.

Round my neck she clung and pleaded,

But I told her to be wise;

Said no sailor could be faithful,

And his love was ever lies.

Then she turned and left me silent,

Stepping weary, stepping slow;

Merry was I to have won her,

And I laughed to see her go.

Now ’tis done—I have lost her,

Seas between us thunder wide,

“Dear,” I said, “I shall forget you,”

And God knows that I have lied!

Many girls have smiled upon me,

Up and down the Northern coast,

But their kisses only taunt me

With the kiss that I have lost.

Oh! You’re killing me by inches,

Velvet lips and eyes of brown,

For it’s love I left behind me,

Down in Maldonado town.