This song has been recorded by both NexTradition and Johnson Girls, people who are known to a number of us. Anybody had origins information and alternate versions for this song? Gibb, do you have anything?

The Traditional Ballad Index has very little:

Stow'n' Sugar in de Hull Below

DESCRIPTION: "I wish I was in Mobile Bay, Rollin' cotton by the day, Stow'n' sugar in de hull below, Below, belo-ow, Stow'n' sugar in de hull below." A steamboat chant, mentioning the Natchez and depicting the engineer and captain.
AUTHOR: unknown
EARLIEST DATE: 1924
KEYWORDS: river nonballad work floatingverses ship
FOUND IN: US(MW)
REFERENCES (1 citation):
Botkin-MRFolklr, p. 592, [no title] (1 text)
CROSS-REFERENCES:
cf. "Belle-a-Lee" (floating lyrics)
cf. "Hieland Laddie" (floating lyrics)
NOTES: This uses lyrics from "Hieland Laddie," which is far better known, but the form appears different enough that I separate them. - RBW
File: BMRF592B

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The Ballad Index Copyright 2012 by Robert B. Waltz and David G. Engle.

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Here's the version from the Digital Tradition:

SUGAR IN THE HOLD

I wish I was in Mobile Bay, screwing cotton all of the day
But I'm stowing sugar in the hold below,
Below, below, below

Hey, ho, below, below
Stowing sugar in the hold below
Hey, ho, below, below
Stowing sugar in the hold below

The J.M. White, she's a new boat
Stem to stern she's mighty fine
Beat any boat on the New Orleans line
Stowing sugar in the hold below

The engineer shouts through his trumpet
"Tell the mate we got bad news.
Can't get steam for the fire in the flue"
Stowing sugar in the hold below

The captain's on the quarter deck
Scratchin' 'way at his old neck
And he cries out, "Heave the larboard lead"
Stowing sugar in the hold below

as sung by Jon Pfaff
@sailor @work
filename[ SUGRHOLD
AJS
oct97

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No listing in the Roud Folksong Index.