G'day Rosyboa (if you are still around ... a few snakeskin sheddings later ... ),

Aargh! I must have been elsewhere when this re-surfaced ... nearly 3 years ago ... ! Two thirds of the thread back, on Date: 09 Dec 98 - 04:06 PM, I posted an Australian-collected version of this song, which has (~) the lines you quote in the second half of the first stanza.

It was obviously a popular song in Australia's late 19th century - producing a number of re-writes to suit Australian 'Bush' (country) and city tales ... and it was also widely used as a dance tune.

I hope you (eventually) see this reply!

regards,

Bob Bolton