I have never heard any of those verses, or an auctioneering theme.
Very interesting.
Hugill gives the title & date of the best description of *Paying off the dead horse* as "Reminiscenses Of Travel In Australia, America and Egypt, by R Tangye" (London 1884) He also says this shanty was very popular on immigrant ships, where the crew would put on quite a show for the passengers.
As far as I know, Rueben Ranzo (as opposed to half a dozen others of the Ranzo group) was normally sung on whaling vessels, and not those on the Australian run.