Ah, the master arrives in the nick of time!

Intriguing comments......'it was one of a (seemingly small) repertoire of working songs that predate the advent of the chanty genre to the Anglophone sailing ships'.

If that is the case that would explain Dickens's anecdote, but not the American whaler anecdote presented by Snuffy.

Basically it seems you are saying there was a small repertoire of worksongs used in association with seamen prior to the chantey proper.

I shall savour reading the paper when I have a little more time.