Davis & Tozer's highly influential -- and highly contrived -- collection of chanties is my next source in the chronology of print mentions of "Rio Grande." One can expect to see these verses pop up again and again later, as this book was used by many as a source up through the early 20th century, when it was supplanted by collections like RR Terry's.

"Rio Grande" appeared in all these editions. It wasn't until the 2nd or 3rd edition that this version started having an influence on other writers.

1887[Aug]        Davis, J. and Ferris Tozer. Sailor Songs or 'Chanties'. London: Boosey & Co.

1890        Davis, J. and Ferris Tozer. Sailor Songs or 'Chanties'. Second edition. London: Boosey & Co.

1906        Davis and Tozer. 3rd edition?

1927        Davis, Frederick J. and Ferris Tozer. Sailors' Songs or "Chanties." London: Boosey & Co. "Revised edition"

There are no notes on the song's context. It is given with musical score, with the following text.

2. Away for Rio

Oh, the anchor is weigh'd, and the sails they are set, 

Away, Rio!
The maids that we're leaving we'll never forget, 

For we're bound to the Rio Grande, 

And away, Rio! aye, Rio! 

Sing fare-ye-well, my bonny young girl, 

For we're bound for the Rio Grande!

So man the good capstan, and run it around, 

We'll heave up the anchor to this jolly sound, 


We've a jolly good ship, and a jolly good crew, 

A jolly good mate, and a good skipper, too, 


We'll sing as we heave to the maidens we leave, 

You know at this parting how sadly we grieve,

Sing good-bye to Sally and good-bye to Sue
And you who are listening, good-bye to you, 


Come heave up the anchor, let's get it aweigh, 

It's got a firm grip, so heave steady, I say, 


Heave with a will, and heave long and strong, 

Sing a good chorus, for 'tis a good song, 


Heave only one pawl, then 'vast heaving, belay! 

Heave steady, because we say farewell to-day, 



The chain's up and down, now the Boatswain did say,

Heave up to the hawse-pipe, the anchor's a-weigh,


While the author was an experienced seaman, based on the rest of the collection one can suspect that many or most of these verses were composed expressly for this collection. We have no way of knowing which verses were "authentic," however I suppose a shrewd reader can tell, based on language, which verses were probably spruced up or contrived.

The important thing is that these verses have not yet (historically) been attested elsewhere, but that they do start to appear following. One can already see them in the "Great Lakes version" described by Q, above. While the author of that work said it was a composite of verses from sailors XY and Z, there is much from print sources -- that is, unless you believe that the orally-transmitted verses of the song were consistent enough to match Davis/Tozer's by coincidence.