Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-07-26
SAILORS SUPERSTITIONS.
They Had Stranger Forms in Early
Days Than Are Now Manifested.


.o''oin Soiiors are more superStltlouS
than any other class with equal train
ing and opportunities.
In earlier days superstition was as
much part Of every ship as the water
she was to float in, for 1t entered with
the wood scarfed into her keel and
climbed to the flags and garlands waving
ather mastheads; it ran riotously at her
launching, controlled her name. her
crew and cargoes; it timed her days
and hours of sailing and conveyed her
voyages; it summoned apparitions for
her ill-fortune and evoked portents
and signs for her prosperity; it made
winds blow foul or fair, governed her
successful ventures and arrivals. and
when her work was done, promised a
port OF rest somewhere off the shores
OF Fiddler's Green, where all good
sailors rest eternally, or threatened
foul mornings deep in the uncanny
locker Of Davy Jones Of ballad memory.
In many countries stolen wood was
mortised into the keel, as it made tho
ship sail faster at night; though if the
first blow struck in fashioning thiskecl
drew fire, the ship was doomed to
wreck upon her maiden voyage. Silver
usually "A COIN placed in the mainmast-
step went for lucky ventures, and mis-
guided indeed was the owner who per-
mitted any of the unlucky timbers to
enter into the construction. Something
OF the ceremonious character given to
launchings survives to this day; where
OF Old ships were decked with flowers
and crowns of leaves, flags now tiutter;
the libation poured on the deck, the
publication by the priest, the anoint-
ing with egg and sulphur find their
exemplary in the wcll-aimed and wasted
magnums which are shattered on the
receding cut-water as the craft. re-
leased from the ways, slips, we'll
creased, into the sea; the jar of wine
put to his lips by the captain, and then
emptied on deck, the cakes and ale set
before the crew, the stoup of wine
offered to passers-by on the quay, and
the refusal of which was an evil omen
all are realized in these sadder lus-
trums by the builders feast in the
mold-loft.
Lawyers, clergymcn and women urc
ever looked at with disfavor on Saline
ships as sure to bring ill-luck-lawvers
undoubtedly, from the autipathy If
sailors to the class. dislike So nro.
nounced that ''sea-lawyer" is n very
bitter term of reproach, and "land-
shark" Is a synonym. Clerpvmco-
priests and parsons-are unluelsv nrob.
ably because of their black gowns and
Their principal duty on shipboard-that
OF consoling the dying and burying the
ucau-though possibly because the devil,
'he great storln-raiser, Is their especial
enemy ana sends tempests to destroy
.nen' "omeli-who may reason out
.helr unpopularity?-save that a ship
Is 'he last place Tor them or perhaps
because OF inc dread of witches, for of
an speil-Workers IN human form none
= 80 dreaded as the female brewers Of
heli-oroth' Like the priests of the
mioaie ages they can raise a prime
qualily OF storm by tossing sand or
stones IN the ar, and, like Congreves
Lapland sorceress, are supposed to live
oy Selllng contrary winds and wrecked
Vessels
Certain families could never get sea
employment under their own sur
names, not even such members as
were born with cauls, as they were
tabooed, barred; and many animals
hares pigs, black cats. for example
could neither be carried nor mentioned
on shipboard save under very stringent
Scarborough wives kept
a black cat in the house to assure their