60 Crossing the Line 



1792, continued 



from a letter on board an Indiaman, giving an account of it; and as every 

 custom, however ridiculous it may have dwindled into (as for instance, 

 sweaiing at Highgate ) has had a salutaiy foundation, I should wish some of 

 your numerous readers, or your philanthrophic self, would be pleased to tell 

 me from what occasion it arose. Time that is employed in investigation must 

 be of general utility, for it often draws, if not a satisfactory conclusion of our 

 own, a wise one from a better informed man; so, good Mr. Urban, call upon 

 some of your many friends; and fix an opinion about it. A Rambler. 



"But I must tell you the fun above board, &c. and for which prepa- 

 ration had been making all the morning; it is customary to play 

 tricks upon all water travellers that have never been in South lati- 

 tudes, and the sailors look upon it as a privilege to make themselves 

 as merry as they can. Passengers generally, by a moderate quantity 

 of liquor, avoid the honour of the ceremony; but, should an unfortun- 

 ate one prove restive, the watery gods would become veiy boisterous. 

 A sailor representing Neptune, curiously rigged with a trident and 

 stock fish at the top of it, with thick oakham to burlesque flowing 

 locks, is mounted upon one of the ship's gratings, by way of a tri- 

 umphal car; on his left, Madam Ampyhtrite, bedizened in the fuU 

 fashion of Portsmouth Point; with this distinction, she appeared big 

 with child, which we should suppose rather unusual with the Point 

 ladies; they were dragged (I beg pardon) they were drawn upon 

 the quarter deck by two Africans, and attended by a numerous re- 

 tinue of inferior Gods; and, what was unexpectedly well timed,* 

 Amphy trite insisted on freedom being given to the Africans, swear- 

 ing that the Gods would never countenance the inhuman Slave- 

 trade. On approaching the captain of the ship, Neptune congratu- 

 lated him on his quick passage, and told him, in consequence of 

 his good treatment of his children, the British sailors, he had given 

 him a Southerly wind, and should continue to look to him the rest 

 of his voyage; at this moment the ladies came on the quarter deck, 

 which induced Mrs. Amphy trite to dismount from her car, and 

 tottering towards them, leaning on a piece of old broomstick, thus 

 began: 



"Sweet young damsels I greet you; I've conducted many of you 

 to India; be of good cheer; its what we must all come to [stroking 

 her belly]; never fear, sweet young damslets; India's the place for 

 Nabobs and arrack; and if old fogrum [turning to Neptune] should 



* You will not be surprized at this, when I tell you, I have often since seen this honest tar with a 

 volume of Shakespear. 



