The Twentieth Century 211 



When these formalities are completed, the whole procession moves to the 

 scene of action, King Neptune and Queen Amphitrite take their seats, the 

 Herald makes a short proclamation, the Doctor, Barbers, etc., report all 

 present and correct. King Neptune orders: "Bears in the Bath," and Ûie bus- 

 iness of the day begins. 



It is well to open with two or three volunteers, one of whom should be an 

 ofiBcer, who will vmdertake to act as "reluctant initiates." That is to say, they 

 have to be sought out by the Policemen, they resist arrest, and, generally 

 speaking, are put through the hoop. The reading of bogus Punishment War- 

 rants prior to the final administrations of the Barber, Doctor, etc., lends 

 colour to this part of the proceedings and aggravates the apprehension of the 

 remaining initiates. 



Events then take their normal course, the driU being as follows: — 



( a ) Initiate is produced by the Pohcemen or comes forward vol- 

 untarily. 



(b) His name is announced, and a notation made against it in a 

 massive tome by the Clerk. 



( c ) He is seated in the chair, his temperature is taken, heart tested, 

 pulse timed, etc., etc. 



( d ) He is lathered and shaved, a pill is popped into his mouth, and 

 he is tipped backwards into the bath, there to be dealt with by 

 the Bears according to his deserts. 



Certificates 



It is worth taking a good deal of trouble over the layout of the Certificates, 

 and ia the selection of a firm to reproduce them in colour. 

 The essential features are: — 



( a ) The ship's crest 



(b ) A photograph or drawing of the ship 



(c) The main body of the Certificate 



( d ) The seals of Neptune and Amphitrite 



With regard to ( c ) above, there is no hard and fast rule, and the following 

 is merely taken from an actual Certificate by way of example: 



Be it Hereby known that . . . has been duly initiated into the Ancient 

 and Mystic rites of our Realm as by our Royal Decree from time Im- 

 memorial. Further . . . We hereby require all such as have not yet entered 

 our Domains, to treat the aforesaid with all respect to which our duly • 

 initiated and loyal subjects are entitled. 



Given at our Coiut on board Her Britannic Majesty's Ship ... on the 

 Equator in Longitude . . . This . . . Day of ... 19. . (Seal) 



