Idaho semi-weekly world., 1892-06-10
NOTIONS ABOUT THs ss1


- Il -
ne OceAn-- Maritime ExpreSsIona
Improvements in the vehicles jnstr,,
n ns and modes Of navigation have
y IuoDeo me sea Of much of its terribsA
cnalacter, but we shall, nevertheless, and
existing among the peoples OF both con.
'lnents' as shown by their popular pro !,
seEDs and sayings, wholesome fear ~ |
1he sea- arecogsiition Of its terrible power
as well as many curious notions aho,,t |
the watery element, its inhabitants and |
Its characteristics. T7s, -
The saying Of DR.. Johnson ssNo |
man will be sailor who has
contrivance enough to Get him.
self into jail, is more than mar
alieled BY proverbs current among
european nations. An old French maxim
was: he who trusts himself on the sea
= eitner q fool, o. he ispoor, or he wants
20 de-" One Of the alternatives serves as
poor excuse toathe Spsniard, whosays: (
Better walk poor than to sail rich. 2" Ii !,
the same spirit is conceived the Italian
proverb. Praise the sea, but stav on
shore. sHe who would learn to nrav
should go to sea, says a well known
proverb, and He who does not venture
upon the sea, knows not what God il. !,
replies that most hardy and adventure
some of maritime nations the Dutch.
The Russians ray, asWhen you walk, pray
once; when you go to sea, pray twice;
when you gosto'be married, pray three
These sayings outline in general way
the dangerous character of the sea. and
ITS treacherotis nature, its instability
and ITS impiensity, are pointed out by
other PROVERBS and aphorisms.
The sea makes some rich, others
poor, is. a general proposition enunci-
ated in Provencal adage, but the Amer
can proyerb, Work with me and l will
nourish YOU; look out for me or will
drown you, teaches the uncertain nature
OF the sea life, and we may be disposed
to heed the warning embodied in the
Turkish maxim, Trust not the discourse
Of the great, the duration of a calm at
sea, the lucidity of the ffeeting day, the
vigor Of thy horse, or the speech Of
woman" The gentle sex is classed with
the treacherous element in other proverbs,
current among many nations. Woman,
however, is often the greater sufferer
from the dangerous nature of the sailors
calling, and d Tamil proverb says, ssThe
| wife of hesshipnaaster is in lucky situa-
tion so long as the ship is safe; if it is
lost. she must beg. 1.-The sea has nc
branches ito cling toy. therefore it is bet.
ter to stay on shore" said the German
woodsman, and the French rustic agrees
with him: ..Admire the sea as much a.
you will, but don't stir from the COW
sheds. The Arab fears the sea toda,
much as he did in the Fifteenth century
when he declared that the hand Of Satar
rose from the bosom of the .'sea Of dark
ness" to seize his frail bark. ut is bet
ter" says he, ito hear the belchings o
the camel than the prayers Of the fish,
and he declares the obstinate and danger
GUS character of the stormy sea in TIN
adage, "The sea has tender stomach
but head hard as wood" ssIn travel
, ing," says an old French proverb, ''tak
the sea, but creep to the Shore" and al
older saying from facetious work
century old concludes thus: 1.-The shi
is fool, for it moves continually; tn
sailor is fool, for he changes his min
with every breeze; the water is foo
for it is never still; the wind is foo
, for it blows without ceasing. Let L
, make an end at once of navigation"
, Concerning the tides, waves and sal
, water, there have been many curiou
savings as well as strange superst
tions. THAT which goes with th
ebb comes back with the food, is al
8 other way of expressing a well know
I sailor adage that ''What comes by stal
. board goes by larboard." Another Frenc
0 proverb is expressive of extreme defiane
h of difficulties: ITO brave dangers as tt
leeward tide does the wind" What
:, beautiful idea is that conveyed by IL
:. Sanscrit sentence: "It is the poets an
u not the ordinary men who rejoice
o beautiful poetical expressions; the int11
q ence of the rays of the moon swells II
l. sea, but not the brook.
r The use of maritime expressions
l. much more common even among land
:. men far from the sound of the sea ths
:, it is usually supposed to be. The Dutt
II are proverbially addicted to the use
a sea language, their inheritance from t
n sea robbers of the Sixteenth century, al
a. Mr.. Clark Russell has shown that t
il English language borrows many OF
10 most expressive phrases from the sallol
a. We say a couple are ''spliced. you
!. man is the s.main stay" of the famil
~ an interloper puts his oar in, t
member from Podunk ''steers through
ID a man is '.hard up we are frequen
ip "taken aback, a topper is "slewed,
TX loafer "spins yarn, you must "try
of other tack" etc., etc., all sea eXpr
IN sions beyond a doubt. "Under ia
no colors' would be said of ship, as
~ II as of traitor. F. S, Bassett in Clio
Democrat.