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Article PENCILLINGS FBOM THE SKETCH-BOOK OF A MA... ← Page 7 of 13 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
tobacco . The ceremonial was ushered in thus :- —In the early part of the day , Neptune , in his oakum wig , being drawn in his car to the door of the chief cabin , and attended by his clerks , bear , and ministers of state , all arrayed most grotesquely , asked in pompous terms for the commander of the ship ; " I require , " said he , " an
immediate audience ; " then raising aloft his trident with mock majesty , awaited his approach . The deck had previously undergone a suitable preparation for the coming fun . Our skipper having obeyed the summons , Neptune , with due solemnity , announced his arrival on board , officially demanding that the passengers should be brought into his mighty presence . " Grive me a list , Captain Preeman , " said he , " of all aft who have not before entered my dominions . Such must be made to
acknowledge my supremacy , " The commander replied , " Tour majesty ' s subjects with all humility acknowledge your royal authority , and will gladly do homage , but trust for an exemption from the ordinary and severe ceremonial . "— " To this I agree , " said his
godship , " for a certain pecuniary fine . " All assented to this but one , who determined , as he said , not to submit to an exaction , declaring to the captain , that if any one touched him , he would view the act as an assault ; that in such a case he should descend to his cabin , lock himself in , load his pistols , and hold the commander responsible for any consequences that might ensue . No one considered this
judicious ; however he was not interfered with ; and now the merriment commenced . The sea-god retired in state , as he came , and proceeded to the shaving-tub , where some young sailors were subjected to the dirty process : the marine razor being a piece of an iron hoop from a water-cask , and the soap an odious mixture of every thing greasy and unpleasant , in which tar w as the chief
ingredient . The whole morning passed off in good humour , though many practical jokes , considered however quite fair on this occasion , were played off on the passengers , and amongst themselves ; as , for instance , an unsuspecting wight would , on emerging from the cuddy , be surprised by having a bucketful of salt water dashed upon his head from the poop or maintop . Aquatic sport of such a kind was the order of the day .
Christmas-day was , of course , observed in due form . Dear and absent were toasted , and the new year was entered upon with the customary rejoicings . On the 11 th of January , when approaching the Cape of Good Hope , the sea presented a very singular appearance , the effect of a
vast quantity of fish-spawn floating on its surface . The discoloration of the water was so considerable , and of such extent , that a person ignorant of the cause would have imagined we were passing over a shoal . In these latitudes , the gambols of the bottle-nosed porpoise afforded us much amusement . These creatures came about us in vast
numbers , appearing to take delight in keeping abreast and astern of us in ranks three and four deep , rushing through the water , and sometimes gaining distance considerably ; one might have imagined that tho feats they performed were not simply attributable to in-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Pencillings Fbom The Sketch-Book Of A Ma...
tobacco . The ceremonial was ushered in thus :- —In the early part of the day , Neptune , in his oakum wig , being drawn in his car to the door of the chief cabin , and attended by his clerks , bear , and ministers of state , all arrayed most grotesquely , asked in pompous terms for the commander of the ship ; " I require , " said he , " an
immediate audience ; " then raising aloft his trident with mock majesty , awaited his approach . The deck had previously undergone a suitable preparation for the coming fun . Our skipper having obeyed the summons , Neptune , with due solemnity , announced his arrival on board , officially demanding that the passengers should be brought into his mighty presence . " Grive me a list , Captain Preeman , " said he , " of all aft who have not before entered my dominions . Such must be made to
acknowledge my supremacy , " The commander replied , " Tour majesty ' s subjects with all humility acknowledge your royal authority , and will gladly do homage , but trust for an exemption from the ordinary and severe ceremonial . "— " To this I agree , " said his
godship , " for a certain pecuniary fine . " All assented to this but one , who determined , as he said , not to submit to an exaction , declaring to the captain , that if any one touched him , he would view the act as an assault ; that in such a case he should descend to his cabin , lock himself in , load his pistols , and hold the commander responsible for any consequences that might ensue . No one considered this
judicious ; however he was not interfered with ; and now the merriment commenced . The sea-god retired in state , as he came , and proceeded to the shaving-tub , where some young sailors were subjected to the dirty process : the marine razor being a piece of an iron hoop from a water-cask , and the soap an odious mixture of every thing greasy and unpleasant , in which tar w as the chief
ingredient . The whole morning passed off in good humour , though many practical jokes , considered however quite fair on this occasion , were played off on the passengers , and amongst themselves ; as , for instance , an unsuspecting wight would , on emerging from the cuddy , be surprised by having a bucketful of salt water dashed upon his head from the poop or maintop . Aquatic sport of such a kind was the order of the day .
Christmas-day was , of course , observed in due form . Dear and absent were toasted , and the new year was entered upon with the customary rejoicings . On the 11 th of January , when approaching the Cape of Good Hope , the sea presented a very singular appearance , the effect of a
vast quantity of fish-spawn floating on its surface . The discoloration of the water was so considerable , and of such extent , that a person ignorant of the cause would have imagined we were passing over a shoal . In these latitudes , the gambols of the bottle-nosed porpoise afforded us much amusement . These creatures came about us in vast
numbers , appearing to take delight in keeping abreast and astern of us in ranks three and four deep , rushing through the water , and sometimes gaining distance considerably ; one might have imagined that tho feats they performed were not simply attributable to in-