The Nineteenth Century 129 



Robert Fitz-Roi, an Admiral when he died, ranks high as a British seaman, navigator, hydrog- 

 rapher, meteorologist. His story of the crossing in 1832 has plenty of interest in itself. Moreover 

 it brings Kotzebue into the picture and shows how closely Fitz-Roi kept in touch with other 

 seamen of his day. For our particular interest we hear too from him that "during the early ages 

 of navigation, before the invention of the compass, somewhat similar, though really ceremonious, 

 rites were observed in Spanish, Portuguese, and Itahan vessels, when they passed the more 

 remarkable promontories then known." 



Independent and later study of the whole problem leads to much the same beHef, though here 

 one may be forgiven for wishing Fitz-Roi had told us just what he based this on. Was it current 

 and accepted tradition in his day? Was it a bit of sealore knovnj to every thinking Jack Tar? Did 

 it go back to some forgotten or not mentioned firsthand story? 



Volimie two of the set of three comes from Fitz-Roi as noted above. Volume three has half 

 title reading: "Journal and Remarks, 1832-1836, By Charles Darwin, Esq., M.A., Sec. Geol. Soc." 

 Its text is fascinating, charming, amazing as it shows this ship's naturahst reveling in the tropical 

 landscape, carefully noting the geology, the organic hfe in all its forms, a decidedly revealing 

 demonstration of mental alertness, power of observation and also of expression, accurate and 

 comprehensive. Remember that Darwin had reached the mature age of twenty-three when he 

 sailed in 1832, was thirty when he saw the record pubHshed in 1839. His preface notes that "The 

 present volume contains in the form of a journal, a sketch of those observations in Geology and 

 Natural History which I thought would possess some general interest." The text shows that he 

 hewed strictly to the Hue, felt evidenüy that mention of so frivolous an afiair as the visit of 

 Father Neptune would be out of place. Just about a century later we hear, however, that he 

 did note it all in his diary, edited by Nora Barlow and pubhshed in 1933. 



10th. [January, 1832] We crossed the Tropic this morning; if our route did 

 not extend further, Neptune would here celebrate the aweful ceremonies 

 of the Equator. . . . 



February 14th. To day at noon we were 150 miles from the Equator, & have 

 experienced the weather which is so frequent in these regions. . . . 



Every one is alive with the anticipation about Neptime's appearance, & I 

 hear of nothing but razors sharpened with a file & a lather made of paint 

 & tar, to be used by the gentlest valet de chambre. 



15th. In the evening the ceremonies for crossing the line commenced. The 

 oflBcer on watch reported a boat ahead. The Captain turned "hands up, 

 shorten sail," and we heaved to in order to converse with Mr. Neptune. The 

 Captain held a conversation with him through a speaking tnunpet, the result 

 of which was that he would in the morning pay us a visit. 

 February 17th. We have crossed the Equator, & I have undergone the dis- 

 agreeable operation of being shaved. About 9 o'clock this morning we poor 

 "griffins," two & thirty in number, were put altogether on the lower deck. 

 The hatchways were battened down, so we were in the dark & very hot. 

 Presently four of Neptune's constables came to us, & one by one led us up 

 on deck. I was the first & escaped easily: I nevertheless found this watery 

 ordeal sufficiently disagreeable. Before coming up, the constable blindfolded 

 me & thus lead along, buckets of water were thundered all aroimd; I was 

 then placed on a plank, which could be easily tilted up into a large bath of 

 water. They then lathered my face & mouth with pitch & paint, & scraped 

 some of it off vvâth a piece of roughened iron hoop : a signal being given I was 

 tilted head over heels into the water, where two men received me & ducked 

 me. At last, glad enough, I escaped: most of the others were treated much 



