162 Crossing the Line 



J 855, continued 



— Chacun à son poste pour étemuer! Hale les boulines du cabestan! Hisse 

 la cale svu- le pont! Attrape à cuire la soupe! 



— Vous voyez que j'ai abdiqué pour aujourd'hui, dit le comte; adressez- 

 vous au dieu de la mer. 



Neptune entendit et reprit dans son porte- voix: 



— Charivari! 



— Et pour qui? demanda l'équipage ameuté. 



— Pour le marquis et pour la marquise aussi! . . . 



( Guillaume Joseph Gabriel de La Landelle. Les passagères. Valenciennes, 

 1855. apud Melusine, v. 2, 1884-5.) 



The catalogue of the Bibliothèque Nationale notes that this novel is "Extrait de l'Impartial du 

 Nord. — Même ouvrage que: Le Docteur Esturgeot," and for the latter gives the imprint thus: 

 "Paris: P. Permain, 1850. 2 v. in 8°." 



This first instance of a threat of smashing the figure head of a ship newly entering Neptune's 

 kingdom confirms the second-hand story noted above under 1816. 



1858 



On the 18th of January, 1858 [presumably Old Style], advancing at a creep- 

 ing pace, we finally reached the equator. The event was celebrated in an 

 appropriate fashion. As luck would have it, it was Simday. All the flags were 

 turned into costumes. A throne, draped with red pennants, was set up near 

 the smoke stack. At four o'clock, to the accompaniment of a drum, a tam- 

 boinrine and an accordion, a procession started from the crew's quarters. 

 It included a nude "Negro," blackened with soot and wearing a red sash; 

 a Tiurk; a muzhik with a trained bear which was turning somersaults and 

 cutting capers as instructed by his master. There were also soldiers and a 

 fantastic cook carrying ladles and sieves, and at last, Neptune himself, 

 impersonated by the ship's wag Khudobin. The part of Neptune's spouse 

 was played by Vaska, a stoker. To the accompaniment of the wudest music, 

 the procession made the round of the Clipper. Finally Neptune movmted the 

 throne and was sturrounded by his motley retinue. The first one to be pre- 

 sented to him was the captain, who made a contribution only for the ship, 

 since he had crossed the line before. The oflBcers placed coins on a separate 

 tray. All swore that they would never court a sailor's lawful wife. The real 

 fun began when the sailor's turn came. Upon some the sea god's disfavor 

 was visited with special severity. A stream of water from a pump is no joking 

 matter. Clerks and other folk whom seamen are not fond of had to suffer 

 the most. Half a dozen men held the victim dovvm and in spite of all his 

 efforts to avoid it, the water from the pump squirted right into his face and 

 he was forced to swallow a good deal of salt water. The last ones to be thus 

 treated were natmraUy Neptune himself and his spouse, who played their 

 parts with resourcefulness and wit. They were the worst sufferers of all. 



