Gordon Bok says that Stan Hugill collected this from a West Indian sailor. Hugill seems to be the primary collector for this. It is included in the Roud Folksong Index #616. It was printed in Stan Hugill's Shanties from the Seven Seas (1961) and Gordon Bok's Time and the Flying Snow (1977). It was recorded by Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd on their album of whaling ballads and songs, Thar She Blows (1957), Louis Killen and chorus on their anthology of sea songs and shanties, Farewell Nancy (1964), The Young Tradition on their Fledg'ling CD Oberlin 1968 (published in 2013) and Gordon Bok on A Tune For November (1970). I learned this from Gordon Bok's recording. The version here is from his book. The key is a little low for me so I usually sing it a couple of tones higher and capo accordingly.