The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-07-26
Aadersula 9Intelli0enfer,
SAILORS, SUPERSTITIONS.
FoTecastio Reasons for Thinking Certain
Things Unlucky.

The prevalent IDEA tnat superstition
exists only among the very ignorant is
far from true; yet, with the sailor, su.
perstition seems to be inborn. Let one
attempt to deny Jacks theory about
"Davy Jones's locker" in the bottom of
the sea, and he will be met with strong
if not convincing argument that he is
mistaken. Davy Jones is credited with
having many set laws which, though
they may be unwritten, must be rigidly
observed. To 60 to sea on Friday, the
carrying of dead bodies at sea, the killing
of cat, the harming of one of "Alothcr
Carey's chickens" the dropping of a
ater-bucket overheard while washing
down decks, are believed to be offences
for which Davy Jones will demand salts.
faction either by the sacrifice Of one man
or TIE pulling of a ship and its entire
crew into his locker.
The carrying OF a corpse on the ocean
longer than it is necessary to sew it up
in canvas with heavy weights to insure
its sinking below the dcpths which
fishes frequent, will cause panic among
ships crew. The killing of II cat on
board vessel is thought to be extremely
unlucky, and woe TO the person who
should be found guilty of such an act.
a naval vessel on voyage from Peru to
New York, by way Of the Straits Of Ma.
gellan, had on board an ill-tempcred and
generally disreputable cat which no one
had any love for. This animal mysteri
ously disappeared one night after the
vessel left Valparaiso, and though one uf
the fireman was suspected, the proof
could not be obtained. For the remain.
der of tho voyar" the captain and sever
al of the other Ulcers as well as all Of
the sailors pre-, icted that the vessel
would surely De lost. They daily
watched for the King Of the mighty deep
to appear and demand satisfaction fcr the
crime. Yet the vessel reached the New
York navy.yaFd after o remarkably
pleasant voyage throughout. In this
case the wives and sweethearts who had
longngly waited for three years for the
ships return were given the credit OF
hauling on her iimaginary) line aud
bringing her safely past Davy jon, 2's
miniOns.
There is scarcely sailor whc does not
verify believe that it is uIlucky to go to
sea on Friday, yet it has been asserted
that the masters Of some Of our big
steamships would as soon sail on Friday
as on any other day. Yet the records of
Fridays do not support the assertion, and
this can be seen by anybody who will
pursue the ship news column Of the Sat
urday's papers. ct one go around
among the officers OF the mauy steamship
lines and see if he will fnd any one
whose vessels regularly sail on Friday
Only two weeks ago one Of the large
ocean steamships steamed away from her
pier on Friday, and anchored in Graves.
end Bay aati! the following day before
she went to sea. 1t was said that the
captains excuse was "to make repairs" !"
tut it came from good authority that he
had strong aversion to starting on Il
ynyage on Friday. The ocean tramp"
steamship Rhimind,la, which was wreck.
ed en- the Nova Scotian coast on Tues.
day, sailed from this port on the previ.
Gus Friday. This superstition seems to
preva!! in yatching circles as we'll, and
the question was asked few days ago
when was there ever yacht regatta on
Friday? ?" Regattas do sometimes occur
on that day, however, but it il seldom.
Eos INSTANCE, of the many yatching con.
tests n .uo country for this season Fri.
day has been reigiously avoided for all
excepting by the Chicago and New Ha.
ven yacht clubs, which will sail their
annual regattas on August 8, and the
Quincy, Mass, Yacht Club, which has
appointed August 10. A we'll known
story is told OF captain who tried to
prove that Friday was not an unlucky
day. He laid the keel Of new ship at
Hyannis, Cape Cod, OIL Friday. launched
her on Friday, named her Friday and
set sail on Friday. Her record was made
complete when she was wrecked on Fri.
dsy and everyday CT beard lost.
Jack has many curious idens. For
instance, if the moon hos sharp horns /.
betokeus fDS weather; and fit IL lying
on its, back with both horns up bad
weather is at hand. Again:
When the sun sets In q silve. hell,
An easteIly wind is rs sure rs -
When one of Mother Carey's chickens
or stormy petrels, is seen near the ship,
a storm is approaching, for these birds
are rarely seen in fair weather. 1t is a
forecastle notion that the petrol is go
named from ST. Peter, on account Of its
running with closed wings oyer the sar
face Of the waves. This brought to mind
the walking Of st. Peter upon the water.
and the sailors think the bird was there
fore called "petrel" as q sort of diminu
tive of the apostles name. These birds
have been known to follow veaael dur.
ing q storm for many days, apparently
with neither food nor rest, and withuu,
happing their wings If one of these
little birds should be swept aboard in n
great storm, as ia frequently the case no
sailor will touch it.
The dolphin and purpoise arc unwel.
come to the sailor when they suddenly
appear during calm, and. If they skip
about, eevere gale is expected. II
sharks follow o ship for several DAYS it
means that d death is to occur. ANY
one who hes seen the haddock must have
noticed mark OH each side Of the giIls.
This, sailors, assert, was made by St.
Peter with his finger and thumb when
he took the tribute money out of the
mouth of the fish. This, perhaps. ac
counts for the belief of Scotchnen that
it is the richest" fish that was ever nut
on the table. The most superstitious
sailors are the Scandinavians, who be.
iieVe in tue existence of Neck, a mer',.n,
having the head of man and the ..
ing ringlets of h girl. Neck, wear a
reu CAP, siia upon the waves aud plays
upon the harp. His melody is so at.
tractive that sailors become charmed by
it, and in this way many have perished.
The Norwegians are firm believers in the
"kraken," monster devil. fish whose
body is over o mile long, only to be
found 10 the deepest waters. 1t feeds
upon fishes and devours whole schools at
time. Fishermen who have mistaken
1t for an island and taken refuge on its
back have been drowned in the whirl.
pool made by the sudden sinking of the