The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-05


came the next day, and this time the cat
jumped into the water and was drowned
And the American visitor died on the snip
before daylight the next morning. Moth
ing would persuade the crew into be-
lief that the one disaster was not the cause
of the other.
But the end was not yet After long
cruise the Resaca put into the harbor Of
Talcahuano, and there one of the men
who was less supersttlous than the rest
obtained a fine kitten, which took finally
to all on board and grew to be a great
pet, being No. of the ships cats and
an improvement upon It's predecessor.
But one morning at sea mo g. killed
herself in a mad race after a rat The
men got together and predicted bad luck
when the captain Of the starboard watch
of the afteTguard said: Boys, 1 feel bad, -
and staggered against the bulwarks Be
fore he could be helped he died, holding
his throat with both hands and saying
with his last breath, "All throttled here"
There was never another cat taken on
board of the Resaca.
Spanish sailors on certain days of the
week or month lay aloft at sunset and
beat the sheaves and pins of the blocks 10
drive the devil out of the gear, and the
noise they make Is horrid din. This is
said to have originated in an order given
Which resulted in disaster. A certain Span-
ish squadron that had been anchored some
time was surprised by the enemy and could
not make sail and escape, as all the blocks
were rusted and useless.
The Spanish sailor has no prejudice
against starting out on a voyage on Fri
day that being the day on which Column
bus started on his voyage of discovery.
English and American sailors win not sail
on that day If they can help It. They
would consider the whole trip hoodooed by
such a beginning.
A sneeze at sea would hoodoo the ship
unless it happened TO turn to the right.
when 1t brings good luck. Sailors have
faith in odd numbers and naval gunners
carry out this belief in the number of
times they fire a salute
Whstling for wind is another favorite
superstition of the man before the mast
This Is trick when ships are becalmed, as
Whistles rash bid tenpests roar" A cap
ful of wind or "a bagfuP' usually defines
the quantity.
The phantom ship, so often seen by nnvi-
gators, is not purely the apparltion of ro-
nance, but mirage, something almost as
wonderful but not of the supernatural or
der.
The horseshoe is still popular contribu-
ton by sailors to the fetish of good luck. A
distinguished precedent is given for this
Lord Nelson believed in the luck of the
horseshoe, and had one nailed to the mast
of his ship Victory.
A peculiar superstition is that if women
are taken on board Voyaging ship some
disaster VIII follow This may be the rea-
son why no government ship is allowed TO
carry women passengers. Sailors, too. pre-
Ter a snip that has masculine name, or is
called after some man, or is geographical
A line OF steamers wall often employ a GER
tain selection of names to the exclusion Of
all others. The Cunard steamers end an
their names with ia" a feminine ternt-
nal, but one that has been the reverse or
disastrous, since that line has never Aost a
shlp.Captains are not quite as superst. 9iOus
as their crews, being of better educa lion
and that may account for the names Of
sailing vessels being Identical with that Of
wife or sweetheart. Certain names are
known IN the history Of nautical nomet-
cIature as hoodoos They have been paint
ed over and other names substituted but
bad luck attended the ship, and not even
reconstruction saved Il. Then. II the name
must be feminine, the crew want some
thing they are familiar with. one old
tar who was told the name of new shin
was the Aurora said:
why don't they leave poetry 70 tbo
navy folk ana stick to the Susannabs and
Mary AIMS and Jommas of nv dav9
Aurora! How is a plain able SEAMAN 10
answer hail with such a nouthfll az
that behind his teeth?''
Sailors cling TO their superslitions with
a tenacity worthy OF better cause. pos
sibly 1t Is more from custom rather than
from an actual belief in their efficacy M.
man at the wheel viii tell Won ~ ho
cannot steer straight If there is croee-
eyed passenger on board and he repeats
charm of words to annul khe evil.
81. Peter! 81. Peter pray give us a charm
Against the bad eye that wotlld do ~
harm.