John-

Here's another historical note on the pumping shanty "South Australia" based on the title of a popular minstrel song in CHRISTY'S PANORAMA SONGSTER, published by William H. Murphy, NYC, NY, circa 1850. p. 129. The song is titled "Nancy Blair" and other than her name shares no lines with any version of the shanty I know. However, "Nancy Blair" is mentioned by name at least twice in "South Australia" verses recorded by A. L. Lloyd and Ewan MacColl (from an old sailor Ted Howard of Berry) on Blow Boys Blow, and the name might well have been inspired by the minstrel song as the crew were pumping their way to or from Australia:

As I walked out one morning fair,
Heave away, haul away,
It was there I met Miss Nancy Blair,
An' we're bound for South Australia. (CHO)

There's just one thing that grieves me mind,
Heave away, haul away,
To leave Miss Nancy Blair behind (the polite version!)
An' we're bound for South Australia. (CHO)

Charley Noble