The Twentieth Century 181 



1913 



The "Crossing of the Line" occurred on August 31st. The event had been 

 anticipated by many with interest and curiosity. One gentleman, speaking 

 about the matter, remarked: "We shall no doubt feel it an horn: or two before 

 we get there, and probably an hour or two afterward." As the equator is an 

 imaginary line, what my friend expected to feel I am at a loss to imagine. 

 Another feUow-voyager approached me and seriously inquired "how long 

 I thought it would take us to get over the line." When I told him the feat 

 might be accomphshed in about a second of time he looked mystified and 

 even disappointed. I did not press him to explain himself. It would hardly 

 have been pohte to do so. To what sort of nautical acrobatics he was looking 

 forward will ever remain a puzzle to me. On the morning of the eventful day 

 a proclamation was read at breakfast, announcing that Father Neptime and 

 his daughter, attended by their court, would appear on board at two o'clock 

 in the afternoon, and then proceed to initiate into the mysterious rites of his 

 realm aU those who were for the first time invading his domains south of the 

 equator. During the forenoon of the day there were many conferences be- 

 tween the "committee of arrangements" and the proprietors of a circus, who 

 were traveling as second-class passengers. At the appointed hour a procession 

 took place upon the upper deck. It was headed by Neptune and his daughter. 

 Neptune was clothed in a sea-green robe, held his trident, wore a crown of 

 gilded pasteboard, surmounting his flowing locks which were composed of 

 strands of oakvrai. The discerning eye detected under the disguise the ro- 

 timd outlines of the purser; and under that of his daughter the somewhat 

 diminutive form of the second steward. 



The reason for the frequent conferences, which had been held with the 

 owners of the side-show in the morning, now became plain. The theatrical 

 properties of the troupe had been brought into requisition. The chief stew- 

 ard arrayed as a ballet dancer, and the barber, wearing the mask of a clown, 

 on his head a fiery red wig and in his hands a razor three feet long made of 

 gilded wood were prominent among the merrymakers. A motley company 

 composed of the ringleaders in "the smoking-room crowd" wearing masks 

 and strange disguises followed. A platform had been erected in front of the 

 swünming tank. On it the chief steward, provided with a whitewash brush 

 and a big bucket of paste, took his place. Beside him stood the barber, strop- 

 ping his gigantic razor upon a yard of burlap tied to a derrick-boom. The 

 first victim was a young lady who seemed to feel that it was her duty to be 

 initiated. She came forward smiling, wearing a sük gown. She seated herself 

 upon the barber's stool. Her head was anointed with paste, the barber made 

 a few passes with his mimic razor, and then in a twinkling, heels over head, 

 she was flung backward and soused in the tank by the minions of Neptune. 

 The ship's surgeon and the fourth officer were the next victims. They were 

 followed by others untü the tank was full. Those who were floimdering in 

 the bath now resolved upon reprisals. The first attack was made upon the 



