I wonder if the last line should be- Long way to go.

I have seen excerpts from the Mitford volumes before; they suggest that the book is worth reading. Unfortunately, the three volumes of "Lights..." are costly. A reprint was made some years ago, but it is just as expensive.
Following Dixon's search for beech oar, I found this in a blog. Something newly coined? (the dialect looks false).

HARD UPON THE BEECH OAR

Hard upon the beech oar
She moves too slow
All the way tay Mandan town
Long way tay go.

Hard upon the beech oar
Up Mizzou we go
All the way to Cook's Sound
Long way to go.

Hard upon the beech oar
Row you bastards row
Big John is blowing our roofs down
And it's a long way to go.