"I would like to dwell on the glorious days in Nassau, but it would take a volume in which to tell of them. There were memorable days when we explored New Providence in quaint little carriages, our Ethiopian mentor pointing out the "places of interest" with his buggy whip. There were mornings spent on the bathing beaches of Hog Island, where the swimming is only equaled by that in Hawaii. There were nights in the gaily-lit ballroom of the "Colonial" or mingling with the gorgeous Birds of Paradise at the Bahamian Club, where fools risked fortunes and impassioned groups leaned breathlessly across the spinning wheels and watched them won and lost. And always back to the snug little cabin of the Nepenthe, while across the waters would come floating in the marvelous "close harmony" of the West Indian Negro the song which is known to all who have ever visited Nassau:

"My mama don't want no peas, no rice,
        and cocoanut oil-
"My mama don't want no peas, no rice,
        and cocoanut oil-
"My mama don't want no peas, no rice,
        and co-coa-nut oy-il!
All she want's a brandy champy after nine."


[Heilner, Van Campen, Adventures in Angling: A Book of Salt Water Fishing, (Cincinnati: Stewart Kidd Co., 1922, pp.227-228)]

The lyric to Ballymena follows right after this quote (see link to thread above.)

Note: Cowley writes Heilner collected the lyric around 1924 but cites the 1930 book for his source. The 1922 quote above is what I have as first appearance in print attributed to the author (full 1924 "Under the Southern Cross" citation as it originally appeared in the serial form to follow.)