1910        Whall, Captain W.B. _Sea Songs and Shanties_. Brown, Son and Ferguson.

Whall writes from his experience learning chanties in the 1860s and early '70s. His version of "Lowlands" here had previously appeared in some form in a 1806 article in _Yachting Monthly_. The article in my last post actually quoted it from that source (which I haven't seen), and said Whall said he learned it in 1862.

Here are some of his notes, followed by the song text.

It is of American origin and comes from the cotton ports of the old Southern States.
This is, I think, certainly the first time it has been set in the least degree correctly to music. I am aware of two previous attempts, both hopelessly in error. It is also...a windlass shanty: and it was a favourite for pumping ship.

Lowlands.

Lowlands, Lowlands, Away, my John,
O my old mother she wrote to me,
My dollar and a half a day.
She wrote to me to come home from sea,
Lowlands, Lowlands, Away, my John.
She wrote to me to come home from sea.
My dollar and a half a day.

A dollar a day is a Hoosier's pay,
Lowlands, lowlands, a-way, my John,
Yes, a dollar a day is a Hoosier's pay,
My dollar and a half a day.

O was you ever in Mobile Bay,
A screwing cotton by the day ?

These are all the regulation verses; after these the shantyman must improvise.