The Twentieth Centuiy 197 



heartedly, harangued the court, made speeches to one and all, took his initia- 

 tion in extremely good grace, and after washing and dressing, joined in the 

 remaining festivities — now as a certified shellback — with great vigor and 

 enthusiasm. 



Shellback certificates range all the way from florid scrolls all set about with 

 mermaids and various types of sea life to a simple card stating that the holder 

 has crossed the equator. There are similar certificates commemorating such 

 things as crossing the 180th meridian, the Arctic and Antarctic Circles, etc. 

 I have a card certifying that I have been aloft in a helicopter south of the 

 Antarctic Circle. 



(Manuscript statement from William Gerrish Metcalf, dated December 

 10, 1953.) 



1944 



Aboard a United States Aircraft Carrier ( Delayed ) . — For the ofiBcers and 

 men aboard this ship the war almost stopped for about four hoiKS today. At 

 least it seemed to hesitate, and that is because there are some things that 

 are the same in war even as in peace and the crossing of the equator is one. 



Many days ago, a few hoinrs after this ship left port, her destination was 

 announced over the public address system and thus it became obvious that 

 there would be a crossing of the line. Almost immediately the shellbacks — 

 those with proof that they already had traversed the world's waistband — 

 began to appear out of those comers where bulkhead meets bulkhead and 

 to crawl out of their sacks and other soft and secluded places to make their 

 presence felt. 



There were many nights then when in the crew's quarters there could be 

 heard otlier sounds in addition to the slapping of the waves against the sides 

 and the resonant snores of the men engaged in their favorite shipboard 

 pastime. There were many mornings, too, when the reasons for these sounds 

 were apparent in the shaved or partly shaved heads of pollywogs who had not 

 been as elusive as is imphed by this name for all those who never before have 

 entered into the domain of Neptunus Rex. 



The initial chmax in the now-rising crescendo of feverish excitement was 

 reached yesterday at 4 p. m., when up over the forward edge of the flight 

 deck there arose, to the accompaniment of firecrackers and the shouts and 

 gesticulations of a group clad in a blending of foul weather gear and light 

 apparel, the figure of Davy Jones. Mr. Jones wore a suit of red winter under- 

 wear over which had been casually thrown a souwester and bore ( 1 ) a trident 

 and (2) a striking resemblance to Lieut. Lars J. Larsen of 139-26 87th street, 

 Jamaica, L. I. 



Actually the crossing of latitude zero was accomphshed during the night, 

 but it was not imtü 8:30 a. m. today that Neptunus Rex, at other times known 

 as Chief Petty Officer Harry Daily of Lomida, Cal., appeared, bewhiskered 

 with shredded hemp and properly berobed as befitted his office. He was ac- 

 companied by the other appropriately caprisoned members of the royal court 



