New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-02
SAILORS SUPERSTI7IONS.
poREcAsT1E REASONS FOR THINKING CERTAIN
THINGS UNLUcKY.

The prevalent idea that supersl tion exists
only among the very ignorant Is lar from true: yet
with the sailor. uperstitiOn seems To be lnb0rn Le
one attempt deny Jacks theory about Davy Jones
locker" the bottom OF the and lie Will be met
strong If not convincing argument that ne Il mis-
taken Davy jones Is credited with having many set
laws which, though they may be unwrtten must he
OF dead bodies the killing OF eat, the harmIng
OF OF Mother Careys chlckens the dropping OF
believed be offences for which Davy Jones will de-
mand satisfaction either by the sacrifice OF ono man. or
the pulling OF shH aud It's entire crew into his locker
The carrying OF corpse the ION ger than IL Il
necessary IL up In canvas with heavy weights to
insure sinking below the depths which fishes frequent
will cause panic among ships The killing OF
cat board vessel Is thought extremely unlucky and
act A naval vessel on IA voyage from Peru to Sew
York. by way OF the straits OF Magellan had on board
one hna any love for This ANNUAL mysteriously dsap-
pearcd night after the vessel lett Valparaiso, and
though OF the remen suspected, the proof could
not be obtained For the remainder OF the voyage the
captain aud several OF the other officers as well as all OF
sailors predicted that the vessel would surely be lost
They daily watched for the king Of the mighty deep to
appear and demand for ns eF%e; ySt the
ably pleasant voyage throughout In his case tue wives
years for the ships given the credit OF haul
Ing on her Imaginary line and bringing her safely past
There is scarcely sailor who does not verify believe
that Is unlucky TO 80 to sea on Friday yet Il has been
steamships would as soon sail on Friday az
on any other day. Yet the records OF Fridays
by anybody who will peruse the shipnews column
OF the Saturdays papers Let go around among the
officers OF the many steamship lies, end see II he will
find any whose vessels regularly sail Friday. Only
two weeks ago OF the large ocean steamships
steamed from her pier on Friday and anchored In
Gravcsend Bay until the following day before she
to II said that the captains excuse was 10
make repairs" but 1t from good Authority that he
had strong aversion to starting voyage on Friday
The ocean tramp" steamship Rhlmindda which was
wrecked the Nova Scotian coast Tuesday sailed
from hls port the previous Friday This superstition
to prevail IN Yachting circles as well, and the
ever yacht regatta on Friiayi" Regattas do some
times that day, however, but Is seldom For
OF the yachting contests IN the country
for this season Friday has been reglonsy avoided for
clubs which viii sail their ANNUAL regsttas on August g.
and the Quincy Mass yacht club, which has appointed
Angus, TO- 1" story ol told r Of captain Who
laid the keel Of new ship at Hyannis Cape Cod, on
Friday LAUNCHED her on lsaly na sd 9er aay %a
she was wrecked on Friday and everybody on board
Jack has many curious ideas. For instance II the
moon sharp horns It beokens fine weather. and II II
haad Again:
when the sun sets in a silver bell,
An easterly wind u as sure ms -"
When one OF Mother Careys chickens or stormy
petrels the ship, storm Ia approaching for
these birds rarely seen IN fair weather IL Il fore
castle notion that the petrol Ia 80 named from st. Peter
surface OF the waves TLs brought to, mlnd the walk
ing OF st. Peter the water and the sailors think the
tive OF the Apostles name. These birds have been
known TO follow vessel during storm for many days.
ping their wings. II of these little birds should lie
swept aboard In great Storm Is frequently the case
sailor Will touch 10.
The dolphin and porpose are unwelcome TO the sailor
when they suddenly appear during calm, and II they
skip about vere gale Is expected II sharks follow
ship for scytX days means that death Is TO occur
Any who has seen the haddOck must have noticed "a
mark each side OF the gs 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 for the belief OF Scotchmen that
Is the richest fish that ever put ON the table. The
superstitous sailors are the scandnayans, who be-
lleye In the existence OF Neck, norman, having the
head OF u man and the flowing ylnglets OF girl Neck
wearing red cap. sits upon the waves and plays upon