Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1889-09-06
NAUTICAL ANECDOTES.

In selection Of stories from manu-
scripts of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth
Centuries there Il a jeu d'esprit turning
upon the conduct of landsmtn at sea
during storm. A certain passenger,
while almost everyone else was weeping
or praying, began to eat bis fll OF salt
meat, as II he expected q famine. when
asked why he did 30, he replied: 81 viii
have to drink o great deal of water
presently so must eat salt meat" This
is like the ta'e OF Spanish soldier, who,
when similarly Situated, began TO eat
away at loaf OF bread. His reason was,
"Menester conner uu poquto para beber
tanto" Gone must eat little to drink SO
much). Demonax, an ancient Greek.
upon being asked II he were not afraid
lest the fish would cat him, said: 81
should NOT complain, since l have eaten
so many of them in my life"
The following humorous story Is upon
the same theme. A priest was told upon
embarking that he should not despair in
a storm, so long as the sailors swore and
blasphemed, but II they embraced each
| other and sought mutual forgiveness for
| their offenses he might fear t.e worst
Hardly was the ship at sea When storm
arose, and the pjous iather sent o brother
TO listen at the hatch to the conversation
OF the crew. "Ahl my Godi good
father, all is lost" said he. ON his return;
| "these wicked men swear horrible oaths:
you would shudder TO hear them; their
blasphe mics alone have the power 10 sin K
| the ship" "God be thankedp' said the
good priest; ''all VIII be well"
Some OF these anecdotes turn upon the
| ability OF the sailor to outwit the lands
man IN the technique Of bis own craft.
There Is the story OF sailor who ap-
Piled for birth on an East Indiaman, TO
whom one of the examining board said
that 1t was extremely doubtful ''whether
he could box the compass" 81 know
how TO do It," said Jack, 'tbetter than
you know how to say the Lords Prayer.o
A trial of skill was at once arranged, with
| wager of 80 shillinss on each side. The
mariner at once said over the points OF
the compass successfully, in the usual
manner. The contestant having repeated
the Pater Noster, claimed tho stakes.
Hold on cried Jack, 1--WE have not
finished, for l have eaid but half my
task" Therefore he said over all the
compass points backwards, which bis
competitor could not do with the Lord's
Prayer, go the sailor won his wager and
got his berth.
In an interesting sixteenth century
work 10 an anecdote Of another contest Of
| wits, In which the man of the sea again
triumphs. passenger on board of an
| East lndiaman, thinking himself more OF
philosopher than one of the crew, said
| to him:
"My friend, where did your father
diei"
"In shipwreck," replied the sailor.
"And your grandfather"
"While ont fishing, sudden squat
came up and upset his boat. drowning
him."
"And your great-grandfather?"
"He also persisted in his ship, which
struck rock"
"How. then, dare you go to sea, where
all your ancestors have perished"
Mr. Philosopher" said the mariner,
| "have the kindness to tell me where your
father found deathW
VERY peacefully, in his bed"
"And his ancestors4"
'In the Same manner, very TRANQUILITY,
in their beds"
"At, then. bow can you dare to lie
down in your bed, since your ancestors
| died there2"
There is equal humor In the song Of
Dibdin's, In which two old s'sea-dogs"
pity those ashore during the storm, en-
dangered by chlmneys and other perils
of the land tempest.
The sailor Is further credited with out
whiting old nick. There is German tale
OF certain old salt who, in return for
valuable services, WAS bound to serve the
devil, after fifty years. Upon the appear.
anCe of satan to claim his victim, Jack
induced him TO pump the sea dry first,
but SO arranged the pump that oil the
| water ran back into the sea again, until
the disguised demon was willing to de-
part without his victim.