The Eighteenth Century 49 



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 suflBciently diverting 

 it was to see the diflEerent faces that were made on this occasion, some 

 grinning and exulting in their haidiness, whilst others were almost suffocated, 

 and came up ready enough to have compounded after the first or second 

 duck, had such a proceeding been allowable. 



Almost immediately after crossing the tropic the air had sensibly become 

 much damper than usual, though not materially hotter: the thermometer in 

 general stood from 80° to 82°. The nearer we approached to the calms, the 

 damper everything grew; this was very perceptible even to the human body, 

 but more remarkable was its effect upon all kinds of furniture. Everything 

 made of iron rusted so fast that the knives in people's pockets became almost 

 useless, and the razors in cases did not escape; all kinds of leather became 

 mouldy, portfoHos and trunks covered with black leather were almost white. 

 Soon afterwards this mould adhered to almost everything; all the books in 

 my library became mouldy, so that they had to be wiped to preserve them. 



About this time we came into the cahns, which we met with earHer than 

 usual: the thermometer was then at 83°, and we suffered from the heat and 

 damp together. Bathing, however, kept me in perfect health, although many 

 of the ship's company were ill of bilious complaints, which, however, were 

 but of short duration. This continued tiU we got the S. E. trade, when the 

 air became cooler, but the dampness continued yet: to that I chiefly attribute 

 the ill-success of the electrical experiments, of which I have written an ac- 

 count in separate papers, that the different experiments may appear at one 

 view. 



The air, during the whole time since we crossed the tropic, and indeed 

 for some time before, has been nearly of the same temperature throughout 

 the twenty-four hours, the thermometer seldom rising more than a degree 

 during the time the sun is above the horizon; the cabin windows have been 

 open without once being shut ever since we left Madeira. 



Though plenty of this has nothing to do with the "crossing" ceremony, it is set down now with 

 no apology. It does give as lively and as teUing a story of daily life at the time of the ceremony 

 as it does of physical conditions facing the company. 



