So, then, you would have us believe, then, that in the complaint
chantey "The Ebenezer" the phrase "If we growled they'd blow
us down" referred to the officers saying "Oh, so sorry lads
that you're not enjoying scraping down the masts while under
weigh, here's a whistle to bring you on down and send you
back comfortably into you berths."

As opposed to applying the business end of a belaying pin to
the noggin of the "growler."

Hmmmmm?