1946        Hatfield, James Taft. “Some Nineteenth Century Shanties.â€쳌 _Journal of American Folklore_ 59(232): 108-113.

In 1886, prior to July, Hatfield traveled from Pensacola to Nice on the bark AHKERA, during which time he noted his chanties from the crew, who were all Black men from Jamaica.

W/ score.


9. South Australia

CHO: Hooray! You're a lanky!
Heave away haul away! Hooray You're a lanky!
I'm bound for South Australia
SOLO: What makes you call me a ruler and king?
CHO: Heave away! Haul away!
SOLO: ‘Cause I'm married to an Indian queen,
CHO: I'm bound for South Australia

'Cause I wear a diamond ring.


As in LA Smith's transcription, the emphasis is "heave a-WAY".
I believe, as per an earier post above, that "You're a lanky" is a mishearing of "You rolling/ruling king." One cause for the mishearing would have been the way the words are set to the rhythm. Unlike in today's popular version, the emphasis here is on the the 'L', i.e. 'you ruLING king'.