Hi Shogun
Sacramento D. This is absolutely the pseudo lingo of the Minstrels, not African-American as such, although I would like an African American to pronounce on that. Why would a chantyman be singing in this sort of stage language is a question we need to ask, even latter-day around the capstan.

Another point to notice is that the verses are in Minstrel lingo but the chorus isn't..no 'On de banks ob de Sacramento'.

Yes, at one point Stan was a latter-day chantyman, but he was also a writer, performer, historian, collector, lecturer, etc. He was also around at the time of Bert Lloyd when rewriting history was the norm.