Wasn't my lumping Steve. I have no prerogatives t'all and, for the record, you are the pro from Dover on what makes you happy.

Martial was show biz. He's the numba one maritime worksong citation, hands down. Polybius was the nonfiction historian, doesn't anywhere near the same mentions.

Maritime work song, hokum inclusive, was certainly happening in the 1820s. No disagreement there I take it. How is that not what Wallack heard and did for a living?

How "chantying" gets backed into this narrative is still wanting a rational explanation from somebody here.