Crossing the Line. 
13 
row led before his throne, roughly enough lathered by him, and then 
siiaved with a huge ship’s cutlass: ten or twelve of the sea-gods 
Tritons stand ready with buckets full of salt water, to wash off the suds 
left remaining. If we four passengers who crossed the Line for the first 
time were properly lathered and soused, it fared much worse with the 
poor ship’s boys and sailors who stood on the same footing as ourselves. 
The patient lambs for slaughter, who well knew from others' accounts 
that any useless opposition would only tend to amplify the act of 
endearment, were first of all tied under the ship's pumps to have the 
dirt washed off so that they might appear spick and span before the 
deity who loves cleanliness so much. After being half-drowned and 
released, they were mocked, and scoffed, and Comforted with dry and 
piquant remarks interlarded with the most forcible flourishes of rhetoric. 
One of the Tritons came up with a vessel full of wet sand and powdered 
them with such violence that blood ran down their pallid cheeks when 
he led them before the Barrel of State. Here Neptune, with not exactly 
a light hand, used his ship’s cutlass to complete the shaving of the poor 
victims, now screaming and Availing most piteously the while, as the 
jubilant Tritons poured innumerable buckets of sea-Avater over their 
heads- However funny the grimaces of those to be baptized might 
prove to a spectator at the beginning, he nevertheless felt the deepest 
pity for the poor young felloAvs during the course of the procedure. 
But were a captain to abolish this day of gaiety and enjoyment for his 
creAV, the repatriation of his ship amongst sailors would be lost, Avhatever 
big Avages he might offer them- 
51. The temperature, ever becoming more sultry, Avas already 
tiring and oppressive; the sheet-lightning increased; countless shooting- 
stars crossed the vault of heaven in instantaneous flight and the glorious 
constellation of the tropical sky, the Southern Cross, soon showed ahead, 
while the hitherto guiding polar star Avas sinking into the depths behind. 
Closely packed swarms of flying fish rose several feet above the surface 
to escape the pursuing Tunny (Scomber Tliynnus) or our own swift ship, 
when, after a flight of often 20 to 50 paces against the wind, they either 
fell back into their element, or were driven on to the deck, where the 
sailors welcomed the spoil. The brisk contest carried on between the 
tunny and the sailing-ship is interesting; the fish seem only to think it 
a little joke, because, though often springing above the surface, they 
never remain behind their rival. 
52. On the afternoon of the 21st January I noticed that the colour 
of the Avater was essentially changed and had assumed a muddy yellow - 
broAvn colour. Immediately after, I was very glad to see in the distance 
numerous SAvarms of sea-birds that more or less sloAvly drew hither and 
thither over the surface. But I was still more pleased Avlien somebody 
clapped me on the shoulder and Captain Roth well’s blunt voice shouted 
“Now, Mr. Richard, to-morroAV morning early you will have your wishes 
fulfilled : to-morrow you will see land and soon stand on terra firma ” 
53. Mr. Walton Avas the prophet to be acclaimed victor: to-day was 
Thursday, and to-morrow Friday, the day upon which he had betted, and 
he consequently took the pool. 
54. Daybreak found all the passengers collected on deck, earnestly 
seeking the promised land. As if still swimming in the haze, a small 
dark fringe suddenly appeared on the horizon and a general “Thank 
