Name That Quote part 3

Two whole weeks and nobody could identify this quote:

Feather-footed through the plashy fen passes the questing vole

It's from Evelyn Waugh's Scoop, an example of the hopelessly over-written nature articles written by our intrepid hero. I recommend the novel unreservedly, it's bloody hilarious.

Anyway, looks like I need to lower the cultural brow, so here's the first line from a song that everybody knows. Bonus point for the TV show that specifically mentions this line in the dialogue. Remember, no Googling, answers in the Comments.

Gold coast slave ship bound for cotton fields