36 Crossing the Line 



1709, continued 



pestatum, infesta tonitrua, &c. Pontificale f. 154. Hunnii Apostas. R. Eccl. 

 p. 183. 



Sonst ist noch auf den SchifiFen die Gewohnheit, dass, wenn sie, nach dem 

 sie über die Linie, das wüste Eyland Abrolhos vorbey, man Gott öffentUch in 

 Betstunden dancket, und dem Schiffs-Volck eine Ergötzhchkeit, oder an 

 jeden Tisch eine Kanne Spanischen Wein giebt, auch frisch Schöpfen- und 

 Schweinen-Fleisch speiset, weil man von dergleichen Vieh allzeit einige le- 

 bendig auf dem Schiffe führet. Denn die Schiffer halten es für ein Glück, wenn 

 sie solchen gefährhchen Ort ohne Anstoss vorbey gefahren, weil von der 

 Brasilianischen Küste, auf die 60. Weilen weit, sehr grosse und gefährliche 

 KHppen in die See hinein streichen, welche gröstentheils unter dem Wasser 

 liegen, und so leicht nicht können gesehen werden. 



( Johann Gottlieb Worm aus Döbeln. Ost-Indian und Persianische Reisen, 

 oder: Zehenjährige auf Gross- Java, Bengala, und in Gefolge Herrn Joann 

 Josuä Kötelär, Holländischen Abgesantens an den Sophi in Persien, ge- 

 leistete Kriegs-Dienste, mit auserlesen Anmerckungen erläutert und nebst 

 anderen besondem Nachrichten, auch doppleten Registern ans Licht 

 gestellet durch M. Crispinum Weisen, Past, zu Mochau. Dresden und 

 Leipzig, 1737. 8vo. Zweyte Auflage. Franckfurt und Leipzig, 1745, 

 p. 18-19.) 



The title is longish, I admit, but it seems worth quoting in full because it tells so much about 

 an unusual book. The story of the ceremony difFers from most others first in its quoting an earlier 

 writer, and second in telling how once more did the clerical passengers look askance at it all as 

 dangerous profaning of a religious ceremony. The crew is permitted to stage its performance, 

 someüiing by this time accepted as "very meet, right, and" its bounden privilege by the crew 

 as a whole and as individual seamen. But this time the accolade and the baptism must be toned 

 down, be symbolic, free from skylarking and horseplay. Thanks were given for safe passing of the 

 shoals off Abrolhos islands. Extra and fresh rations were also served at the time. 



You vidll search far also before finding any other sea tale with so much information about food 

 rations, about what merchandise, slight in amount, the crew was allowed on the return voyage. 

 Worm has a sense of humor, as when speaking of the weather he tells how the Spanish ambas- 

 sador to the Court of St. James, when boarding the ship homeward bound, told the messenger 

 sent by the King to give his greetings to the Sun as well as to the King, for he'd not seen the Sun 

 the whole of one month — the entire time of his stay. 



Worm was the son of a Saxon merchant, born at Döbeln, thirty or so miles west of Dresden. 

 Trained, as usual, to follow his father, he went to Leipzig and Hamburg for experience, decided 

 he wanted more adventure, at Amsterdam shipped as a soldier on board the Oudenarde, sailing 

 from the Texel October 27, 1709 bound for Java. He was then just 19 years old. Invalided home 

 after ten years, he settled down to take over his father's business, dying at his home in 1735. His 

 diaries were used by Crispinus Weise, pastor at Mochau, as basis for this book brought out in 1737. 



The editing by a clergyman is undoubtedly the explanation of the wealth of references to other 

 writers found in the book, some 308 names included in the index of authors cited. It explains too 

 the German Lutheran's asking why a baptism of rookies crossing the Line should be disapproved 

 by the clergy when they have no hesitation at baptising church beUs. 



1712 



Le lendemain [6 March 1712] quand on ne douta plus d'être dans la partie 

 du Sud, on ne manqua pas de faire la folle cérémonie du Baptême de la Ligne, 

 coutume en usage parmi toutes les Nations. On lie les Cathecumenes par les 

 poignets sur des funins tendus d'avant en arrière sur le gaillard pour les OflB- 



