I'm curious about what was "the wild goose nation" as found in the song "The Old Gray Mare".

I seem to vaguely remember reading somewhere that "wild goose nation" was either a nation of Indians {Native Americans} or maroons {runaway slaves}which might have also included some Native Americans}. I've read that some enslaved people would run away from the plantation but might come back there {perhaps because loved ones were there, or because of the scarcity of food in the maroon camps etc}. If "the wild goose nation" meant the Indian and or runaway slave camp, does this verse mean that the person singing it has rejected the idea of permanently leaving the plantation?

"Far you well to de wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
Wild goose nation,
I neber will leab de old plantation,
Down in Alabam'."

-snip-

It should be noted that I googled "the wild goose nation" and found a wikipedia page on "De Wild Goose Nation" that included this information:

"De Wild Goose-Nation" is an American song composed by blackface minstrel performer Dan Emmett.

The song is a parody (or possibly an adaptation) of "Gumbo Chaff", a blackface minstrel song dating to the 1830s; the music of most closely resembles an 1844 version of that song.[1] Musicologist Hans Nathan sees similarities in the introduction of the song to the later "Dixie".[2]"

-snip-

I suppose that it's possible that this phrase could have more than one meaning. Does anyone have any information or documentation about what this phrase or referent means? If so, thanks in advance for posting it.