28 Crossing the Line 



1667, continued 



sary, do various other things. The list ends with the privilege of reading forbidden books — except 



anything by Machiavelli. 



They sailed from Genoa to Lisbon, thence on a Portuguese ship bound for the Congo via Brazil. 

 Favorable winds helped wdth speedy passage from Lisbon, taking only three months. Calms near 

 the equator, however, held them up and gave unbearable heat, no sleep, worms in food, for 

 fifteen long August days. 



As to the crossing, the tale is quite simple: the Portuguese always mark the crossing by prayers 

 for safe passage on so dangerous a voyage; on your first crossing you have to give something for 

 prayers for souls in Purgatory, money, something to eat, anything that can be used or be sold at 

 auction to raise money for the crew; even the Capuchins, sworn to poverty, can give rosaries or 

 other religious objects. Breathes there a soul too stingy to pay, he is bound and brought before 

 one of the crew robed as a judge and seated on a throne, who questions him, listens to him, then 

 sentences him to be ducked tlirice in the sea. The victim is bound to a staff and crosspiece, then 

 is bathed and baptised well. Someone always gives the crew this sort of fun. The same ceremony 

 marks the passage of the Pillars of Hercules and the Cape of Good Hope. 



A question or two comes to mind in connection with this tale. Does Michael Angelo of Gattine 

 say this is what happened when he crossed the Une? Or, does he set it forth here just as a matter 

 of common knowledge? Was it staged this time as he crossed the equator or first when he passed 

 from the Mediterranean to the open ocean? 



His whole tale is lively, shows keen interest in the daily life at sea, tells how the flying fish 

 are preyed on by sharks. The preface says the work was translated into French by a "Scavant 

 Historien" too modest to let his name be used. 



The book is listed in both Bibliothèque Nationale and British Museum catalogues. The former 

 enters it under "Guattini, Le P[ère] Michel Angelo de." Viaggio del Padre Michael Angelo de 

 Guattini et del P. Dionigi de Carli da Piacenza . . . dal porto di Genova alia citta di Loanda . . . 

 con una fedele narratica delli paesi del Congo, came out at Bologna in 1674. The British Museum 

 catalogue lists also an edition of Venice, 1679, and an English edition "translated from the Italian" 

 in 1732 in Churchill's Voyages. 



1678 



BAPTESME du Tropique, ou de la Ligne Equinoctiale. C'est une cérémonie 

 prophane & ridicule; mais d'un usage inviolable parmy les Gens de l'Equip- 

 page, qui la pratiquent indispensablement dans la routte des Indes Orientales, 

 sur ceux qui pour la premiére-fois de leur vie vont passer le Tropique, ou la 

 Ligne. Chaque Nation la pratique diversement : & mesme les Equippages d'une 

 mesme Nation l'exercent en différentes manières. Voicy une des plus com- 

 munes parmy les Equippages François. Pour prèparatif , on range sur le Tillac, 

 tant à Stribord, qu'à Basbord, des bailles pleines d'eau de la Mer, & bordées 

 par les Matelots rangés en deux hayes, chacun un Seau à la main. Le Maistre- 

 Valet vient au pied du grand Mats, le visage barbouillé, & le corps revestu 

 de quantité de Cables roulés tout autotir, dont il y en a mesme quelques-uns 

 qui luy pendent des bras. Il est suivy de cinq ou six Matelots équippés de 

 mesme, & tient entre les mains quelque Livre de Marine, pour représenter le 

 Livre des Evangiles, & d'ordinaire c'est l'Hidrographie du père Foumier, le 

 Flambeau de la Navigation, ou le Journal du Pilote. L'Homme qui doit estre 

 baptisé se vient mettre à genoux devant le Maistre-valet, qui luy faisant 

 mettre la main sur ce prétendu Evangile, l'oblige à jurer solemnellement & 

 de bonne foy, que tout autant de fois qu'il se présentera une occasion de 



