Thanks, Dave S, that's the answer! An old-time usage of the term by an actual sailor.

Janemick, thanks for the link. It's a beautiful ship. Thanks to gnomad, too. I had no idea a barque was so substantial.

Gibb, if you're so dedicated to Google, go google 'badinage.'

New topic - now I'm curious about what looks like a huge sandy shoal off Newcastle. (see it on Google Earth, as mentioned above) What do you sailors say about that? Is it permanent? Did the coal ships have to wait in line to get past it, like airliners stacked up over and airport?

Do you suppose the big one to the south is 'the bar' mentioned in the song? And how did they know where it was when the water was too deep? And so forth.