1. El día siete de agosto,
Estábamos desesperados,
Que nos sacarán de El Paso
Para Kiansas mancornados.

2. Nos sacaron de la corte
A las ocho de la noche
Nos llevaron pa’ el depot,
Nos montaron en un coche.

3. Yo dirijo mi mirada
Por todita la estación,
A mi madre idolatrada,
Pedirle su bendición.

4. Ni mi madre me esperaba,
Ni siquiera mi mujer,
¡Adiós todos mis amigos!
Cuándo los volveré a ver?

5. Ya viene silbando el tren,
Ya no tardará en llegar,
Les dije a mis compañeros
Que no fueran a llorar.

6. Ya voy a tomar el tren,
Me encomiendo a un santo fuerte,
Ya no vuelvo al contrabando,
Porque tengo mala suerte.

7. Ya comienza andar el tren,
A repicar la campaña,
Le pregunto a Mr. Hill
Si vamos a Louisiana.

8. Mr. Hill con su risita
Me contesta: --No señor,
Pasaremos de Louisiana
Derechito a Leavenworth.

9. Corre corre maquinita,
suéltale todo el vapor,
Anda a dejar los convictos
Hasta el plan de Leavenworth.

10. Yo les digo a mis amigos,
Que salgan a experimentar
Que le entren al contrabando,
A ver dónde van a dar.

On August seventh
We were feeling desperate
Because they took us from El Paso
To Kansas chained together.

They took us from jail
At 8 o’clock at night
They took us to the depot
And put us in a train car.

I looked around
All over the station
For my beloved mother
To ask for her blessing.

But my mother wasn’t there
Nor my wife,
Goodbye to all my friends!
When will I see you again?

The train is whistling,
It won’t be long before it arrives
I told my companions
Not to cry.

I am already on the train,
I entrust myself to a holy force,
I will not smuggle again,
Because I have bad luck.

Now the train begins to move,
And the bell is ringing,
I ask Mr. Hill
If we are going to Louisiana.

Mr. Hill with his little laugh
Said to me, “No sir,
We’re going through Louisiana
Straight to Leavenworth.”

Run, run little machine,
Blow off all your steam,
Take all these convicts
To Leavenworth.

I tell my friends
Who want to experiment
That if you get into smuggling,
You know where you’ll end up.