““Why, I calculate, if you look right before your nose, young one, you'll see her as big as life,” he answered, pointing to a large ship lying along the quay, on board which a number of men were employed about the rigging; while others, with a peculiar song, were hoisting in the cargo. I found that the first were riggers, and that the others were dock-porters, and that neither belonged to the ship: the regular crew, with the exception of two mates and the cook, not being engaged till just before the ship was ready for sea.” [p.35]

“All the time we were at work, some of the men, with good voices, led a song, in the chorus of which we all joined; and, I must say, we worked away with a will. It was harder work when we had to haul out the bits of ice, the ship being towed into the canal. With a cheerful shout we completed our canal, and got the ships into a natural lane; and the rest following close upon our track, we worked our way along, for many miles, by what is called tracking*.

This operation is very similar to the way a canalboat is dragged along a canal, through the green fields of England; only, that men have, in the case I am describing, to do the work of horses*. A towrope was made fast to the fore-mast, and about a third of each ship's company were ordered to drag their respective ships ahead. Away we went, as usual, with song and laughter, tramping along the ice, for miles together, and towing our homes, like snails, after us.” [p.260]
[Peter the Whaler: His Early Life, and Adventures in the Arctic Regions and Other Parts of the World, Kingston, 1855]

*see above: Chorus helciariorum, warping, cordelling &c &c.
Whalers and chanteys?