oct. 1768 CROSSING THE EQUATOR 19 
ship’s company was performed, as is always customary on 
crossing the line, when those who have crossed it before 
claim a right of ducking all that have not. The whole 
of the ceremony I shall describe. 
About dinner-time a list was brought into the cabin 
containing the names of everybody and thing aboard the ship 
(in which the dogs and cats were not forgotten); to this 
was fixed a signed petition from the ship’s company desiring 
leave to examine everybody in that list, that it might be 
known whether or not they had crossed the line before. 
This was immediately granted, everybody being called upon 
the quarter-deck and examined by one of the lieutenants 
who had crossed the line: he marked every name either to 
be ducked or let off as their qualifications directed. Captain 
Cook and Dr. Solander were on the black list, as were I 
myself, my servants, and dogs, for all of whom I was obliged 
to compound by giving the duckers a certain quantity of 
brandy, for which they willingly excused us the ceremony. 
Many of the men, however, chose to be ducked rather 
than give up four days’ allowance of wine, which was the 
price fixed upon, and as for the boys they are always ducked, 
of course, so that about twenty-one underwent the ceremony. 
A block was made fast to the end of the main-yard, and 
a long line reved through it, to which three pieces of wood 
were fastened, one of which was put between the legs of the 
man who was to be ducked, and to this he was tied very 
fast, another was for him to hold in his hands, and the 
third was over his head, lest the rope should be hoisted too 
near the block, and by that means the man be hurt. When 
he was fastened upon this machine the boatswain gave the 
command by his whistle, and the man was hoisted up as 
high as the cross-piece over his head would allow, when 
another signal was made, and immediately the rope was let 
go, and his own weight carried him down; he was then 
immediately hoisted up again, and three times served in 
this manner, which was every man’s allowance. Thus 
ended the diversion of the day, for the ducking lasted until 
almost night, and sufficiently diverting it certainly was to 
