56 Crossing the Line 



1785 



On the 16th [of November] we crossed the Line, our latitude being 22 miles 

 South ... 



Sailors on crossing the Line, have a custom of plunging every person on 

 board, who have never been to the Southward of it, over head and ears in a 

 tub of water. This ceremony being but ill relished by some of our people, 

 Captain Dixon promised all hands a double allowance of grog if they would 

 desist: this was very wiUingly accepted, and harmony was soon restored: but 

 alas! grog and good humour soon were at variance, and some of the people 

 grew so quarrelsome and turbulent, that they were put in irons : this brought 

 them to reason in a short time, and they were set at hberty on promise of 

 better behaviour. 



( George Dixon. A voyage round the world . . . 1785 . . . 1788. London, 1789. 

 2. ed. p. 29-30.) 



The British Museum catalogue enters the first edition (1789) under B., W., and after George 

 Dixon as author inserts this note: "or rather, a series of letters signed: W. B., i. e. Wilham Beres- 

 ford, edited by G. Dixon." No such note appears on the title page of the second edition as 

 cited above. 



Ambassador. A trick to duck some ignorant fellow or landsman, frequently 

 played on board ships in the warm latitudes, it is thus managed: a large tub 

 is filled with water, and two stools placed on each side of it, over the whole 

 is thrown a tarpawlin, or old sail, this is kept tight by two persons, who are 

 to represent the king and queen of a foreign country, and are seated on the 

 stools. The person intended to be ducked plays the Ambassador, and after 

 repeating a ridiculous speech dictated to him, is led in great form up to the 

 throne, and seated between the king and queen, who rising suddenly as soon 

 as he is seated, he falls backward into the tub of water. 



Arthur; King Arthur, a game used at sea, when near the line, or in a hot 

 latitude. It is performed thus: a man who is to represent king Arthur, ridicu- 

 lously dressed, having a large wig made out of oakum, or some old swabs, is 

 seated on the side, or over a large vessel of water, every person in his tinn is 

 to be ceremoniously introduced to him, and to pom- a bucket of water over 

 him, crying Hail, king Arthur! If during this ceremony the person introduced 

 laughs or smiles ( to which his majesty endeavours to excite him, by all sorts 

 of ridiculous gesticulations), he changes places with, and then becomes, 

 king Arthur, tül reheved by some brother tar, who has as little command over 

 his muscles as himself. 



( Francis Grose. A classical dictionary of the vulgar tongue. London, 1785. ) 



A variation of, or a substitute for, the tradition by now so well established? I dare not say, 

 do dare to add that this is the only reference to Ambassador or King Arthur I have found, 

 though Henningsen finds one in 1708. 



Neither Ambassador nor Arthur with any such meaning is included in the Oxford Dictionary, 

 first series or supplement. 



King Arthur, with slight changes in punctuation is printed in Melusine, v. 5 (1890-1891), 

 column 191, following the 1796, London, edition. 



