2o6 



in order to Vvrelcome us to his tropical abo^f^, 

 •and to witnefs the baptifm of fuch of his 

 children who had not, already, done homage 

 •at his font. This is a ceremony which is, 

 commonly, thdught to be ludicrous : but, in 

 the. way it is conduded by the rough tars, it 

 becomes a very dirty and fevere procefs. It 

 is extended to every perfon on board, who 

 has not, before, been within the tropics, vary- 

 ing only in its mode of application, and in 

 its feverities* 



The old fallors are careful to difcover, in 

 the courfe of the paffage, which of their mefT- 

 mates have not undergone thedifciplineof this 

 tropical baptifm ; and on this day, all who are 

 marked for the ceremony, are led upon deck, 

 one by one, blindfolded. In this ftate the 

 young failor is made to feat himfelf upon a 

 fmall narrow plank, laid acrofs a large tub of 

 fait water, or upon the edge of the tub itfelf, 

 and, in this perilous fituation, they adminifter 

 to him a long and ridiculous oath \ then 

 offer him a glafs of gin, by way of cordial, 

 which he is compelled to drink, and finds it 

 to be only a glafs of fait water. They, then, 



