I like "your ol' linking" sorta believable - folk process an' all

Just to add one more dimension
apart from being popular as an anchor shanty on the good ship Thermopolae (so says Uncle Stan) he makes reference to it being popular as a pump shanty because of the (almost unique) heave and haul in the same song.
He also refers to bell ropes that defines the pump as a Downton pump which is constructed with two big wheels with handles whereon the bell ropes fitted. Tars on both handles and four ropes (pulling in both directions). I have seen archive footage of this.
My point? The big wheels are king size and they roll.
not that I want to muddy the bilge waters.......