The Blind Blake version appears to be the first recording of this song.

Strange because Blake was an American ragtime blues artist, and this is an obviously Caribbean song. While he and Wilmouth Houdini were known to have crossed paths, I can't find Houdini's 'original' version or even a reference to it.

The song copyright is 1946 credited to Houdini, but Blind Blake died in 1934. I wouldn't be surprised if neither man wrote it.