ANDERSON’S COAST

By John Warner

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

Now Bass Strait roars like some great millrace
And where are you, my Annie?
And the same moon shines on this lonely place
As shone one day on my Annie's face

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

We stole a vessel and all her gear
And where are you, my Annie?
And from Van Diemen's we north did steer
Till Bass Strait's wild waves wrecked us here.

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

And somewhere west Port Melbourne lies
And where are you, my Annie?
Through swamps infested with snakes and flies
The fool who walks there, he surely dies

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

We hail no ships, though the time it drags
And where are you, my Annie?
Our chain-gang walk and our government rags
All mark us out as Van Diemen's lags

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

We fled the lash and the chafing chain.
And where are you, my Annie?
We fled hard labour and brutal pain
And here we are and here remain

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait

Now Bass Strait roars like some great millrace
And where are you, my Annie?
And the same moon shines on this lonely place
As shone one day on my Annie's face

But Annie dear, don't wait for me
I fear I shall not return to thee
There's naught to do but endure my fate
And watch the moon, the lonely moon
Light the breakers on wild Bass Strait