The Nineteenth Century 173 



who making him put his hand on the book, forces him to promise that when- 

 ever an occasion presented itself of baptizing others, he would impose upon 

 them the same ceremonies which were inflicted on him. After this oath, the 

 one to be baptized rises, and, marching between the rows of tubs, and the 

 people who wait for him with buckets full, he reaches the bow, and thus 

 receives what is called the baptism." 



A description of this ceremony, celebrated about the same time, and given 

 by M. Jal [Glossaire Nautique, from Oexmelin, Histoire des Flibustiers], 

 shows that the usages of the present time with regard to it were aheady ob- 

 served: "The second mate, dressed as Neptune, wore a long cap on his head, 

 and a fringed collar of parrel-trucks and small blocks. His long beard, and 

 hair, made of tow, were matted with sea shells, and his face was blackened. 

 In his hands he carried a chart-book ( such a book was then called a Neptune), 

 opened at the chart showing the position of the ship. Each one of the crew 

 knelt before him, and swore by bread and salt that he had previously passed 

 the hne. If not, the mate dubbed them kneehng, with a blow of his wooden 

 sword, and the crew then threw water over each victim until he paid a pen- 

 alty of wine or money." 



The same authority tells us that io Dutch ships, during the seventeenth 

 century, the roll was called by the clerk of the ship, when passing these 

 places, and each man answered to his name, and indicated whether he had 

 passed the place before or not. If he had not, he was fined, and compelled to 

 pay fifteen sols, or else was attached to a rope, hoisted to the main yard-arm, 

 and dipped three times into the sea. The officers were fined thirty sols, the 

 passengers mulcted of all they would pay. 



These are the earfiest descriptions of this ceremony, but we learn that be- 

 tween the voyages of Columbus, in 1492, when no mention is made of it, 

 and 1529, the French created a sort of an order of knighthood, the "Cheva- 

 hers de la Mer" ( Knights of the Sea ) , by giving novices an accolade on the 

 shoulder when passing these places, and giving a feast after each ceremony. 

 [Journal of J. Parmentier, in Jal. Glossaire Nautique, Baptême.] 



During the middle-ages, the novice was often terrified at the horrible 

 appearance of Neptime and his crew, and was usually bidden to watch for 

 hghts near the chosen spots. 



De Plancy [Dictioimaire Infernale] says the Devu was caricatured in 

 costume, in the Neptune ceremony, being brought on board in a cask. 



It was especially the custom among Dutch mariners to observe these cere- 

 monies at Capes Raz and Baüonges. Even admirals were compelled to pay 

 these fines. The clerk bought wines for the crew with the money thus gained. 

 So greatly was this privilege abused, that the Dutch East India Company 

 prohibited these fines in 1669, and Charles IX. of Sweden, some years pre- 

 vious to this, abohshed the right to claim fines, and allowed to each of the 

 crew a bottle of wine on crossing the equator and the tropic circle. [Jal. 

 Glossaire Nautique, Baptême.] 



