The Twentieth Century 187 



The first to be initiated was the ship's doctor, who, on account of his xm- 

 doubted status and learning, was given a double dose, after being catechized 

 by the coiui:, which was of the opinion that he needed a second helping. I 

 rather think that there was mahce aforethought behind the decision, for 

 although I never sampled the medicine I was told confidentially that it con- 

 sisted of tea, coflFee, rum, pepper, salt, mustard, beer, and a very small quan- 

 tity of aqua vitas. 



Though the doctor objected to the concoction, he was forced to swallow 

 it under the threat of suffering worse torment. He was then handed over to 

 the tender mercies of the royal barber. This industiious person had already 

 a paü of soot and whitewash, to serve as lather. With a whitewash brush he 

 slapped (sloshed would be a better word) his victim all over the head with 

 the mixtmre, which he then scraped off with a huge wooden razor, wiping 

 the razor on the hair of the helpless and speechless doctor, who was then 

 tipped over backward into the royal bath and then left to the bears for 

 further treatment. 



These persons dipped and soused their victim untu sure that the honors 

 of the occasion had been well estabhshed in their favor, after which they 

 released him to make room for the next. Many that day followed the doctor 

 and passed through the torment. 



I need hardly mention that after watching the ceremony of initiation I was 

 extremely thankful I had not to go through the bath; but I kept a discreet 

 süence and a very sharp lookout for tieachery, in case the royal court should 

 alter its mind, and decide that it might be as well to include me in the hst of 

 its initiates. 



An extra allowance of rum was issued after these proceedings, as is the 

 custom on such occasions, and so the time-honored ceremony of crossing the 

 Hne was brought to a conclusion. 



(F. V. Morley and J. S. Hodgson. Whaling north and south. New York, 

 1926. p. 131-134.) 



The "I" here comes from Hodgson. 



Reprinted with permission of Appleton-Century-Crofts, the publishers. Copyright, 1926. 



c. 19S0 



I was in my cabin on the Maunganui, half smothered with telegrams from 

 surprised friends, before I could beheve it was true. I was really going to 

 Tahiti, beginning a new life! 



I intended to rest and meet no one on the ten-day tiip down [from San 

 Francisco], but it turned out to be a gay passage. Prime Minister Coates and 

 his party from New Zealand were aboard, so the Captain decided to put on 

 a briUiant pageant when we crossed the equator. He misunderstood the gaiety 

 of my comer and evidently thought me a socially-taclined person. The inter- 

 ested look on the faces of the men and women in that comer and the spon- 

 taneous laughs coming out of it were the result of a little tiick I always tiy on 



