The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-08-16
SAILORS, SUPERSTlTIONS.
Mariners Ken. oas for Believing Certnl'
Things Unlncky.

Ouo dIGtilpU w uCAJ oASN '
about "Davy Jones' locker" in the
bottom of the sea, and he will be met
with strong, if not convincing, argu-
ment that lie is mistaken. DaVy
Jones is credited with having many
set laws, which, though they may be
unwritten, must be rigidly observed.
10 60 to sea on Friday, the carrying OF
dead bodies at sea, the killing OF a
cat, the harming cf one of " Mother
Carey's chickens" the dropping of a
water. bucket overheard while wash
ing down decks, are believed to be
offenses for which Davy Jones will
demand satisfaction either by the sacri-
lice of one man, or the pulling Of ship
and it's 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 it's sinking below
the depths which fishes frequent,
will cause Il panic among u ships
crew. The killing of a cat on board a
vessel is thought extremely unlucky,
an | Woe to the person who Should be
found guilty of such an at. a naval
vessel on voyage from Ieru to New
York, by way Of the Straits Of Ma
gellan, had on board an ill-tcmpered
and GET orally disreputable cat which
no one had any love for. This animal
myster:ously disappeared one night
after the vessel left Valparaiso, and
though one of the ilremen was sus-
pected, the proof coull not be OBJ
tained. For the remainder of the voy-
age the captain and several OF the
other officers, as well as all of the
sailors, predicted the vessel would
surely be lost. They daily watched
for the king of the mighty deep to ap-
pear and demand satisfaction for the
crime; yet the We sci reached the
New York navy yard after remark
ably pleasant voyage throughout. In
this case the wives and sweethearts
who had longingly waited for three
years for the ships return were given
the credit of hauling on her (imag-
inary) line and bringing her safely
past Davy Jones' minions.
There is scarcely sailor who does
not verify believe that it is unlucky to
90 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 bo seen by
anybody who will peruse the shipnews
column of the Saturdays papers. Let
one go around among the officers OF
the many steamship lines and see If he
will find any whose vessels regularly
sail on Friday. Only a few weeks ago
one Of the large ocean steamships
steamed away from her pier in. New
York Oh Friday and anchored 10
Grayesendsbay unit wing day
before she IS sad
I 4Tsat SS3 Il u 's S, nc
make reDs, good
authority that he had sss-stfohg aversion
to starting on voyage on Friday. The
"ocean tramp" steamship Rhimlndds',
which was wrecked on the Nova
Scotian coast, sailed from New York
on the previous Friday. This supersti-
ton seems to prevail in yachting
circles as well, and the question was
asked few days ago, "When was
there ever a yachtregatta on Friday?"
Regattas do sometimes occur on that
day, however, but it is seldom.
Jack has many curious ideas. For
instance, if the moon has sharp horns
it betokens fine weather, and if it, is
lying on its back with both horns up
bad weather is at hand. Again:
"When the sun sets in silver bell,,
An easterly wind is as sure Us -"
When one of Mother Carey's chick
ems, or stormy petrels, is seen near the
ship storm is approaching, for these
birds are rarely seen in fair weather.
1t is forecastle notion that the petrel
is so named from st. Peter, on account
of its running with closed wings over
the surface Of the waves. This brought
to mind the walking Of st. Peter upon
the water, and the sailors think the
bird was therefore called "petrel,' as
a sort of diminutive of the apostle
name. These birds have been known
to follow a vessel during a storm for
many days, apparently with neither
food nor rest, and without Tapping
their wings. If one Of these little
birds should he swept aboard in a
great storm, as is frequently the case
no sailor will touch it.
The dolphin and porpoise are un'
welcome to the sailor when they sud
denly appear during a calm, and, il
they skip about, severe gale is ex'
pected. If sharks follow a ship fol-
several days it means that a death il
to occur. Any one who has seen the
haddock must have noticed a mark or
each of the gills. This, sailors assert
was made by St. Peter with his fingel
and thumb when he took the tribute
money out of the mouth Of the fish
This perhaps accounts for the belief
of Scotchmen that it is the "richest
fish that was ever put on the table
The most superstitious sailors are thu
Scandinavians, who believe in the cX
istence of Neck, a norman, having
the head of a man and the flowing
ringlets of a girl. Neck, wearing &
red cap, sits upon the waves and plays
upon the harp. His melody is SO at
tractive that sailors become charmeG
by it, and in this way many have per
ished. The Norwegians are firm be-
levers in the "kraken,' Il monster
dcvil-Gsh, whose body is over a mile
long, only to be found in the deepest
waters. 1t feeds upon fishes and de
yours whole schools at time. Fisher
men who have mistaken it for ar
island, and taken refuge upon its back
have been drowned in the whirlpool
made by the sudden sinking OF the
mon ster-NeM J ork Tribune.
The Guinea Cows.
LoWndes county, Ga, is the home Of