The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-02-03

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over the weather bow, huge sea stricken crea-
ture. of human but unearthly form and hideous
features. with a flaming red crown upon his
head huge trident in his hand, and his whole
body enveoped in horrid network of seaweed
and slime. Before him stood poor reeking
mortal his hair matted with tar his clothes stick
inc to him like his skin, his face shining with
grease and his teeth all loose and gathering like
castanets
"Green 'un hold up your right hand" said
the monster
After having, with some difficulty, decided
which hand that was, and having luckily hit
upon the right one shot it up in the air like a
rocket.
Now sir, are you ready to take the oath ="
"No-y-e-s, no, gees sar."
was ready to take anything.
Repeat it after me then. You swear"
+ ~ s-e-e-d-G-a-r@"
Never to go on shore when you can go to
sea-"
Nerer to go to sea achen I can stay on
shore"
"Never to kiss the mistress when you can kiss
the maid"
Never to kiss the maid avEen I can KISS the
mistress"
Never to eat white bread when you can get
brown"
"Nerer to eat brooen bread achen can get
achite"
Never to drink wine when you can get wa
ter"
"Neve, to drink acater uhen can get
acine.
"Never to go below when you can stay on
deck"
% Neuer to stag on deck achen can stay be-
1o1c !" ETC., etc., including host of absurd and
impraeticable oaths, each of which I had just
sense enough if remember rightly, to humble
out in an inverse sense-after which | was pro-
nounced solemnly constituted sailor
Now allow me to declare reader, on the faith
of my then green-now initiated-soul that not
till some weeks had elapsed after these ceremon-
les had been visited on myself and my compan-
ions did fully realize that the famous line had
seen was no other than bit of black yarn in
the ships telescopes and Neptune no other than
my old friend and messmate Peter.
Having undergone the frightful ordeal of
crossing the line felt entitled to consider my
self solemny constituted sailor. i was no
longer green hand. / could
Thump my messmates on the back,
And boldly call them Tom or jack
NV four feet eight seemed miraculously to have
increased to five feet ten; and nay protection set
ting forth sundry lbels Gor the greater the truth
the greater the libeD as to my age, size, color
and condition was henceforth but a wicked cal
umny I had suddenly become man and a
brother The Ethiopian had changed his skin
and the leopard his spots True, the first time
attempted to assert my new rights and sought
to accomplish that most difficult of feats, stand
ing On my own bottom received an ignomini-
GUS kick and anything but congratnlatory sa-
lutte but as preserved on my new course, chew.
ed double my allowance of tobacco, made all
sorts of excuses for splicing the main brace
wore my tarpaulin at an angle of forty-fve de-
grees, and cursedthe officers Ito their backs) on
every possible occasion I was soon received into
general favor, and became, at least in my own es-
timation, cook of the walk
Soon after istransformation the Lovely Ma.
tilda kissed the shores of Rio Grande. OF this
distant and facetious port | confess to having nc
particular recollection, and as it is no part Of
this sketch to diffuSe useful information scorr
making up for the deficiencies of my memory by
any reference to Encyclopedias or Penny Maya
zines. Suffice it then to say that as | write the
name of the place, visions Of dirty Portuguese
raw hides, niggers little women wearing big
tubs of water on their heads instead of bonnets
snub-nosed schooners with leather rigging, Gus
tomhouse officers, vermin, soldiers and jerk-bee
! come crowding pell-mel into my mind, but as
sumo no distinct form or order, and positiyelyre
] fuse to be written about.
| remember that we stayed in the place but q