Today we
passed from the northern hemisphere to the southern and celebrated the crossing
of the line with all the form and ceremony of maritime tradition inherited from
the long unknown past. We had a day of tremendous fun and enjoyment:
About 10.am King Neptune and his court appeared
from somewhere and sat enthroned on the aft deck to preside over the initiation
ceremonies for all the novices who had not passed this way hithertofore (with
the exception of the Roman Catholic Priests, who looked on but would take no
part). Pink or blue starch paste acted as soap which was freely administered prior
to the Barbers operations with a huge (wooden) razor. The barbers chair was at
the edge of a large sea water bath, 10 feet square and deep of warm water, into
which the candidate was tipped as soon as the barber had finished. A ships hose
added to the fun both of the candidate in the bath and the onlookers outside.
Exit was made from the bath from the bath by which ever side was most
convenient – but the water was so nice and the hose so refreshing that many
delayed their exit for the purpose of prolonging their enjoyment.
Great mirth was produced when some candidate
tried to pull in with him some member of Neptune’s court!
The ships
captain acted as a Sergeant-at-arms or MC to see no limits were overstepped –
but there was nothing the most conservative person could take exception to. I
could hardly say this mornings ceremony was restricted to the male novices! When
all had been duly baptised, Neptune’s court proceeded to turn upon each other
and carry through the ceremony on one another. Finally Neptune himself was
literally thrown in – I suppose this was the door by which he returned to his
domains!
“The
Baptism of the Equator” is a very ancient custom. I have not been able to find
any plausible account of its meaning or origin. It is practiced most especially
on British ships or by British Officered ships and is essentially a British
tradition. Beyond that, details are lost in antiquity.
The ships
of this Belgian line always carried English Officers (one or more) until a few
months ago and that explains the thoroughness of the Belgian ships company in
carrying out the ritual. Besides there are practically always Englishmen
travelling on these boats who enjoy maintaining a national tradition. A
Portuguese passenger was at pains to impress on his fellow travelers that this
sort of thing was never done on his nations boats!
A Belgian
passenger approached on of the Roman Catholic Priests and said: “The Protestant
Reverends don’t mind taking their share in all this; why don’t you?” “Ah” –
said he “Ce n’est pas possible” and
considered the question closed!
In this connection
it is interesting to note how British customs and procedure in practically all
maritime matters has set the precedent for the worlds shipping. Not only in
such lesser matters as crossing the line ceremonies, but in the way ships of
almost every (certainly European) nation are run on the technical and administrative
side. It is British customs and procedure nearly every time. I mentioned these
boats had English Officers until quite recently and I understand the same is
true of many other nations as well.
Of course
there are “local variations” in the ritual, under consideration the details
were slightly different from those practiced in the Royal Navy – but they are
unimportant except to the scientific investigator – and as the beautiful
certificate say with which each candidate was afterwards presented – “Our
baptism is valid for all time and all places – with Neptune’s seal upon it, it must be so.
Personally I felt very much at
home – being as I was a Baptist in Bath!
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