The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1880-05-06


The rude and boisterous customs for
merly observed on board ship, such, for
instance, as the ceremonies on Crossing
the line" as related by nautical writer's,
are familiar to all our readers. These
sports, the ottshOOt Of others praCtiCed
IN earlier times, have, in their turn,
yielded to the more refined and reason
able mode Of Willing the tediUm of a
long voyage by theatriCals, reCitatiOns,
concerts, etc. GrOse gives some curious
instances Of the way in which the 'salts"
Of former times enjoyed their pastimes
at sea. He mentions the custom called
lhe ambassador" practiced upon "ignOr-
ant fellows, or landsmen" III warm lati-
tudes. The sport was thus managed: A
large tub was filed with water, and two
stools placed one each side Of 1t. Over
the whole q tarpaulin, or old sail was
thrown. This was kept tight by two
persons who represented the king and
queen Of a foreign country, and were
seated on the stools. The person in.
tended to be duCked was called the am
bassadOr, and after repeating a ridiculous
speech dictated to him, he was led in
great state to the throne, and there seated
between the king and queen, who rising
suddenly, the ambassador fell back into
the tub OF water.
Another observance practiced near the
line was called "autour.' or King Arthur.
A sailor who represented the king, II
diculOUsly dressed, and having an i'm
mense wig made of Oakum, or some
other stuff, was seated at the side Of, OF
over, a large vessel Of water. Every
sailor IN his turn was to be ceremOui-
ously introduced to him, crying, Hail,
King Arthur If during this ceremony
any seaman laughed or smiled, Ito
which he was provoked by the wry
faces and facetiOus gesticulatiOns Of the
monarchy he had to change places and
assume the throne until relieved by some
other brother tar who had as little COM
mand over his facial muscles as himself
Another game on board ship was
called "hOOp." To run the hoop was an
ancient marine custom. Four or more
boys, having their left hands tied fast to
an iron hoop and IN the right q rope,
called a 'nettle," being naked to the
waist, waited the signal to begin. This
was done by the application Of a stroke
Of the cat-O'-nine-tails given by the
bOatsWain to the back Of one Of the boys,
who struck at the next one, and so on,
until all became engaged in what can
scarcely be called an amusing game, for
although at first the blows were gently
administered, each boy, irTitated at the
strokes Of his isneighbOr, at length laid on
Justify, and the play became earnest.
This custom was pracdGed when a ship
was Wind-bOund.
This boy-fogging brings to mind a
practice of the French seamen In former
days, who believed that the spirit Of the
storm would be prOpitiated by thrashing
unfortunate middies at the mainmast.
"COb," or "Cobbing," was a punish
ment formerly inflicted on seamen for
petty Ofenses and irregularities. This
consisted in striking the offender with a
cobbing-stick, or pipe-staR The number
of strokes was usually q dozen. At the
first stroke the inficter repeated the
word "Watch," on which all persons on
board took off their hats on pain Of like
punishment. The last stroke was always
given as hard as possible and was called
the purse"
"Keel-hauling" was a barbarOus pun
ishment in the navy, but the following
account of "keelraking" was a refine
ment on such cruelty. 1t is described in
Six Dialogues About Sea Service (1S6j):
''If the Ofense be foul he (the seaman)
is also drawn underneath the very keel
Of the ship, and being thus under water,
: great piece is given fire to, right over
his head, as well as to astOnish him
more with the thunder thereof, which
proyeth much offensive to him, as to
give warning to all others to look out
and beware"
A punishment for sailors for swearing,
in the diary of the Rev. Henry TeOnge,
chaplain of H. NJ. S. Assistance (1675-76):
David Thomas and Martin, the cook,
and one masters boy, had their hands
stretched out and their backs to the
rayles, and the masters boy with his
backe to the mainmast, all looking one
upon the other, and in each Of their
mouths mandlin spike, namely an iron
pinne clapt close into thier mouths, and
Eyed behind their heds, and there they
stood a whole bOure till their mouths
were very bloody. An excellent cure
for sWeare1 81"