Charlie: That's all right...I'm often confused by my comments, myself. I meant that the song we have is the one presented by Marais. Apparently from a text-less tune with a name including "Alibama." We only have his word for it that it was originally the same tune as "Oompy Kahly." It is Marais, not the fishermen, who fitted these English words to a Malay/Zulu(?) song. Most of the words are identical to "Oompy Kahly." Most of M&M's non-English songs are heavily adapted with new English words by him.

I confounded this by allowing that, notwithstanding all that, I just as happy to believe it was the fishermen, after all that made the adaptation back in 1860.

Aw, Bill...I was hoping to get out of listening. Oh, well.