174 Crossing the Line 



1884, continued 



This ceremony, as performed in modern times, has been often described. 

 It is now observed merely as a pastime among sailors, only on crossing the 

 equator, and officers and passengers are rarely troubled. 



Hone [Table Book, Vol. 1, 630] describes it as performed on board whaling 

 vessels, early in the present century, on the first day of May, or on crossing 

 the Arctic circle. The novices were kept below decks, and a baiber-shop was 

 fitted up, with a sign, "Neptune's Easy-shaving Shop, Kept by John Johnson." 

 Then a procession, consisting of ten fiddlers, dressed in mats and rags, Nep- 

 tune riding on a gun-carriage, with his usual retinue of tritons, etc., was 

 formed. On reaching the quarter-deck, Neptune interrogated the captain, 

 asking the name of the ship, her destination, and sünüar questions, and, on 

 three quarts of rum being produced, drank the captain's health. The novices 

 were then brought up, questioned as to their names, ages, destinations, etc., 

 and were then put through the usual rough shaving process. 



Chaplain Rockwell [Sketches of Foreign Travel, 1847] tells us that among 

 the usual features of the procession during the early part of the present cen- 

 tury, was a trio composed of two bears led by a triton. He says some explain 

 this as a representation of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor, disappearing imder 

 the horizon as the equator is crossed, under the guidance of Arctophylax 

 ( Bootes ) . 



Marryat gives an excellent description of the modem ceremony . . . [foot- 

 note reference to Müdmay; the Bassett summary is omitted here because it 

 is quoted in full under 1829]. 



The ceremony is sometimes observed among the fishermen on Newfovmd- 

 land's banks. [Fish and Men in the Maine Islands. Harper's, May, 1884.] 

 "Practical jokes are played on greenhorns on their first visit to the banks, 

 where Neptune, in a garment of rock-weed, sometimes comes on board the 

 regular passenger boat, on arriving at the whirlpool called Wirbel, the steers- 

 man goes about with water in a scoop, which he throws upon the passengers 

 who have not passed before. 



(Fletcher S. Bassett, Lieutenant U. S. Navy. Sea Phantoms: or. Legends 

 and superstitions of the sea and of sauors in all lands and at all times. 

 Chicago, Morrill, Higgins & Co., 1892. rev. ed. p. 416-420.) 



This octavo of 505 pages has an impressive array of authorities — some first hand tales, some 

 second hand. It came to my notice too late to follow the new leads suggested by its footnotes. 

 It is entered here under date of the author's preface. Compare the references here given to 

 Parmentier with the original text as quoted under 1529, and to EsquemeHng as quoted under 

 1666. 



1885 



[Aprü 23] At 7.30 p. m., the starthng cry of "ship ahoy!" was heard fore and 

 aft; there's Neptune! there's Neptune! said all who heard the hau. "HaUoo!" 

 was answered from the bridge by the Officer of the Deck; and the questions 

 of the interrogator, of what ship, where bound, etc., were answered by the 

 Officer. . . . Who are you? in a commanding tone ... : Neptune, King of the 



