The Seventeenth Century 25 



du Bâtiment. Pour s'en exempter, on donne quelque chose aux Matelots, qui 

 en ce cas ne vous jettent que quelque potée d'eau sur la tête. Les Aumôniers & 

 les Missionaires les plus zelez, ont beau Zeur représenter la manière indigne, 

 dont ils prophanent le Sacrement le plus saint de notre Religion; jusqu'à 

 present ils y ont perdu le fruit de leur exhortation. 



(Carpeau Du Saussay. Voyage de Madagascar . . . par M. de V. Paris, 



1722. p. 57-58.) 



Thanks to calms, the crew had time to do their baptising, quite unfitting but always their 

 custom at this point. This superstitious rite has been described so often by other travelers as to 

 make it hardly worth mention here. Let me say, however, that everyone that has not crossed the 

 line before must be baptised, that is to say, be grabbed by the feet and soaked thrice in a big 

 bath, first having sworn on the ship's chart or register that he will do the same to everyone else 

 that follows him. Tip the sailors, and you can buy yourself ofiF, having only a bit of water dropped 

 on your head. Really zealous clergymen protest it all as a sacrilege on our most sacred rehgious 

 rite, but so far their protest has no fruit to show. 



1666 



Wee set sail from Havre de Grace, in France, in a Ship called St. John, the 

 second day of May, in the year 1666. Our Vessel was equipp't with eight and 

 twenty Guns, twenty Mariners, and two hundred and twenty Passengers . . . 

 Having stor'd our selves with fresh Provisions at this place, we prosecuted 

 our Voyage, designing to pass by the Ras of Fonteneau, and not expose our 

 selves to the Sorlingues, fearing the English Vessels that were crusing there- 

 abouts to meet us. This River Ras is of a current very strong and rapid, which 

 rowling over many Rocks, disgorgeth it self into the Sea, on the coast of 

 France, in the latitude of eight and forty degrees, and ten minutes. For which 

 reason this passage is very dangerous; all the Rocks as yet, being not 

 thoroughly knovvm. 



Here, I shall not omit to mention the ceremony, which at this passage, and 

 some other places, is used by the Mariners, and by them called Baptism, 

 altho it may seem, either little to our pmpose, or of no use. The Masters 

 Mate cloathed himself with a ridiculous sort of garment, that reached unto 

 his feet, and on his head he put a sutable Cap, which was made very burlesque. 

 In his right hand he placed a naked wooden sword; and, in his left, a pot full 

 of ink. His face was horribly blackt with soot, and his neck adorn'd with a 

 Collar of many little pieces of wood. Being thus appareU'd, he commanded 

 to be call'd before him every one of them, who had never passed that danger- 

 ous place before. And then causing them to kneel down in his presence, he 

 made the sign of the Cross upon their foreheads, with ink; and gave each one 

 a stroke on the shoulders with his wooden sword. Mean while the Standers by 

 did cast a Bucket of water, upon every mans head; and this was the conclu- 

 sion of the ceremony. But, that being ended, every one of the Baptised, is 

 obliged to give a Bottle of Brandy for his offering; placing it nigh the main 

 Mast, and without speaking a word; even those, who have no such liquor, 

 being not excused from this performance. In case the Vessel never passed 

 that way before, the Captain is obhged to distribute some Wine among the 



