The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-24
Los ANGELES FIEALDs WEDNESDAY MORNING

there Is more fun than piety In It, After
every long voyage 1t is the custom to ''bap-
tie" the sailor who has been the best
during the trip; that Is, who has saved the
most money and drunk the least grog. IL
this honor was intended to promote de-
corum and sobriety 1t Is most dismal fall
ure. 1t has just the contrary effect, for
every sailor, to avoid the inevitable duck
ing, spends his earnings and let's no
schnapps escape. One object Of this GUS
tom Is to encourage liberality and hall
fellow-well-met spirit among the crew.
The ceremony of baptism Is very interest
ing. Every officer of the American fleet
at Manila attended 1t who was lucky
enough to get an invitation A throne Is
rugged up for Father Neptune, and an i'm
mense tub is improvised out OF sail or
tarpaulin on the deck. This Is filled with
salt water and around the edges stand va
riously dressed people IN all sorts OF dis
guises, mostly like those worn by Cali
thumpian paraders In the United states.
At given signal the monitor is ordered by
Neptune to read list Of the offenders
crimes, which usually consist Of unoue
frugality and sobriety. Neptune waves his
trident and issues a stern order. which is
executed by his grotesque minions, who
catch the luckless wight. all dressed, by
the neck and pitch him headforemost into
the big basin, where he rs allowed to fioun-
der around until thoroughly soaked.
The most interesting athletic game
aboard ship is the obstacle race. The chic.
task is to get through life preservers swung
from a rope and oscillat1ng with every
lurch of the ship. 1t IL exceedingly difficult
for even trained athlete to get through
one, If the sea Is at all nasty, without max
Ing most ludicrous failures.
"Slinging the monkey Is a name given
to a performance that justifies its peculiar
name. The legs of the "monkey"
a careful, methodical man--are first of all
slung up by means of ropes and pulleys.
Then the victim is given piece of chalk
and with this he is expected to lean for
ward and write dictated love letters on the
ships deck, or he may be called upon to
show his skill as an artist At the same
time you can't expect fine technique and
frmness of outline, considering the cir
cumstances. For one thing, the draughts-
man hasn't a free hand. The knowing
monkey will probabl wait until the ship
has mrched one way. then he will attempt
little lightning sketching before she has
time to right herself Occasionally 1t Is not
the chalk, but the artists nose which
scrapes the deck.
A delightful uncertainty always attends
any function at sea-athlet1c or otherwise
for the lurch of the ship will give Pc
culiar force to the adage that 1.-THE best
laid schemes o. mice an men gang aft
agley." This gives a peculiar zest to the
egg-and-spoon race. The starters are
placed In a row and, each Isl provided with
an egg. which is to be carried in spoon
held at arms length. The one reach
ing the winning post first with egg intact
is declared the winper. Needless TO say
this race Is not necessarily to the swift;
rather Is 1t to the adroit and strategic. 1t
Is very funny to watch the competitors.
One will hold the spoon low down, SO that
If the egg does fail out 1t will not get
broken; another will make frantic dash.
trusting to luck and to the ships steadi-
ness; while third will perhaps deposit the
egg in some one's lap. greatly to his dis
gust.
The whee1barrow race on board ship is
ten times as amusing as 1t Is at coun-
try fair. The barrows are In this ine
stance seamen who do not fear rush Of
'brains to the head" and do not mind
getting down on their hands while their
legs are held high in the air and used to
propel the owner toward the goal. The
rolling of the vessel pitches the wheel
barrow and pus1rer together in a heap.
convulsing the onlookers with laughter
Philadelphia Times.