Ed Cray printed an unbowdlerized example in "The Erotic Muse," 1969.
His anonymous informant said he learned it from his father who had been a dockworker very early in the century. Cray's second ed. contains additional information.

The earliest printing (bowdlerized)of the song in its modern form is in "Songs My Mother Never Taught Me," by John Jacob Niles, Douglas Moore, & W. W. Wallgren (1927). It was learned during WWI.

This text is most likely the ultimate origin for all commercial versions since.

Easily recognizable earlier forms of the song appeared on mid nineteenth century broadsides. I've seen a late-18th century chapbook with a still earlier version, though without the nautical setting.

Randolph-Legman devotes some space to a discussion of the song. A very coarse fragment was collected by Max Hunter in Arkansas around 1960.