207 



fmear his face with a nafty compound of 

 greafe, tar, and ftinkmg oil, taking care in 

 the operation, to force fome of it into his 

 mouth. The next ftep is to fhave this off, 

 and the razor employed, for this purpofe, is 

 commonly a piece of an old iron hoop, beat 

 full of notches. The filth being in part 

 fcraped from his chin, with this rough inftru- 

 ment, the baptifmal procefs is completed by 

 the plank, upon which he is feated, being 

 fuddenly withdrawn, and the young Initiated 

 plunged head and ears into the tub of water ; 

 where he is made to lie kicking and fprawl- 

 ing for a confiderable time 5 after which he is 

 permitted to rife from his briny birth ; when 

 his eyes are unveiled — he wailies his coun- 

 tenance, and iffues forth a privileged fon of 

 old Neptune—^rif^ to range in the tropical 

 feas. If he contends, or offers any refiftance, 

 he is treated with three or four dippings. In- 

 ftead of one ; he, therefore, finds it beft not 

 be refraftory, and fmothers his wrath in the 

 fecrct pleafure of witnefling a fimilar procefs 

 impofed upon the reft of his meffmates. 

 livery one, whether failor or iandfman, is 



