seems to me if you are working with oxen you are gonna use words like gee, haw, whoa, back...the back pad and back strap are parts of contemporary gear with oxen...I have a dim recollection from the 30's that the cunningham is a strap...which I dunno, could be the britching over their cunning hams?

I also have a leadbelly book that has been in the family for many years...I was singing the whoa back song coming home today so I found you folk out there...I cut my teeth on leadbelly...he never leaves you...

The captins got a waterberry and its just like mine

But the captins Waterberry, It don't keep time!

Oh oh oh oh oh....

Arthur