NEPTUNE CEREMONIES I7 



five to ten feet until the fish was well above the water, due 

 unmistakably to the beating of the fins on the water as 

 the fish rose gradually above the surface. The take-off re- 

 minded one of the way a duck rises from the surface of a 

 pond, striking its wings on the water for a distance until 

 really under way; and we were convinced that these 

 fishes really flew. Further to the south the flying fishes 

 were much larger but not so numerous as they were just 

 after entering the tropical zone. 



On the fourteenth of July we approached "the line," said 

 by geographers to be imaginary, but proving to us very 

 real. The first indication of it was at dinner time, when 

 a deep voice from the bow called "ship ahoy, any novices 

 on board?" There were; and we were warned that Nep- 

 tune would be on board about three o'clock. As six bells 

 struck, sure enough, old grey-bearded Neptune, trident 

 in hand, appeared from the bow, followed by his buxom 

 fair-haired wife, his daughter fresh from a marine ballet, 

 his bibulous doctor, and a crew of minions. After parading 

 the deck, these ancient celebrities mounted a throne on 

 the after-deck and called for the novices. Each man was 

 called up before Neptune, who questioned him as to his 

 purposes in entering his realm. Next we were examined 

 by the "doctor," who always prescribed some of his yel- 

 low, pink or blue liquids or watersoaked biscuits, which 

 remedies were administered down the back or up the 

 sleeve. Then the candidate was seized by the minions 

 and taken to the "barber," who lathered with a white- 

 wash brush, shaved with the great two-foot wooden razor, 

 and powdered with soot. During this the victim was 

 seated on the edge of the tank, and as the process was 

 nearing completion, was tumbled head over heels into the 

 water, rising to meet the full force of the ship's hose as he 

 came up. We all went through this with the others, 

 including a couple of sailors and stewards, while the assem- 

 bled steerage fairly gloated over us; until at the end the 



