Old Abe Trivett's version said:

I wish I was in London,
or some other seaport town.
I step my foot on a bordered ship
And sail the ocean round.

Clearly, a corruption of "on board a ship," but I enjoyed it so much I've kept it in when I sing the song.

Other versions I've seen have "steamboat." Jeannie Robertson, of Aberdeen, Scotland, taught the song to us. When we asked where she had learned it, she replied, "Oh, I got that frae Jean Ritchie when she was here." The verse in question, unfortunately, was not included when Jeannie sang it for us. Caroline and I recorded the Ritchie/Robertson version on our first Folk-Legacy recording. Abe Trivett's version is on his Folk-Legacy recording. Bear in mind, ye curious folkies: Abe was 82 when I recorded him, down there in Butler, Tennessee, and all of his songs are unaccompanied. Caveat emptor.

Sandy