OCT. 1768 CROSSING THE EQUATOR IQ 



ship's company was performed, as is always customary on 

 crossing the line, when those who have crossed it before 

 claim a right of ducking all that have not. The whole 

 of the ceremony I shall describe. 



About dinner-time a list was brought into the cabin 

 containing the names of everybody and thing aboard the ship 

 (in which the dogs and cats were not forgotten) ; to this 

 was fixed a signed petition from the ship's company desiring 

 leave to examine everybody in that list, that it might be 

 known whether or not they had crossed the line before. 

 This was immediately granted, everybody being called upon 

 the quarter-deck and examined by one of the lieutenants 

 who had crossed the line : he marked every name either to 

 be ducked or let off as their qualifications directed. Captain 

 Cook and Dr. Solander were on the black list, as were I 

 myself, my servants, and dogs, for all of whom I was obliged 

 to compound by giving the duckers a certain quantity of 

 brandy, for which they willingly excused us the ceremony. 



Many of the men, however, chose to be ducked rather 

 than give up four days' allowance of wine, which was the 

 price fixed upon, and as for the boys they are always ducked, 

 of course, so that about twenty-one underwent the ceremony. 



A block was made fast to the end of the main-yard, and 

 a long line reved through it, to which three pieces of wood 

 were fastened, one of which was put between the legs of the 

 man who was to be ducked, and to this he was tied very 

 fast, another was for him to hold in his hands, and the 

 third was over his head, lest the rope should be hoisted too 

 near the block, and by that means the man be hurt. When 

 he was fastened upon this machine the boatswain gave the 

 command by his whistle, and the man was hoisted up as 

 high as the cross-piece over his head would allow, when 

 another signal was made, and immediately the rope was let 

 go, and his own weight carried him down ; he was then 

 immediately hoisted up again, and three times served in 

 this manner, which was every man's allowance. Thus 

 ended the diversion of the day, for the ducking lasted until 

 almost night, and sufficiently diverting it certainly was to 



