There's a shanty called 'Chicken on a Raft' (and no, it's not 'Chicken in a Bucket', b4 anyone comes up with that :-) which we're learning. If there's any shantymen around, could you give me a hand, please?

Does anyone know what the meanings of some of the bits in it are? I've a feeling there's typos in the Digitrad version (line 3 of the chorus is written down as "Dabtoes forward and the dustman aft", which I think should be "last man" instead of "dustman"). But what are "dabtoes"? Recording of the Young Tradition singing it sounds more like "dabtails", but that doesn't make any more sense, unless it's the name of a particular bit of rigging. And what is a "chicken on a raft" in the first place (and why's it such a terrible sight on a Monday morning)?

"Pusser's shower" I understand - the "pusser" being the purser, who's notoriously tight-fisted.

Thanks to anyone who can get any more info on this.

Grab.