Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1899-03-24
LEGENDS OF THE SEA.
SUPERsTlT!ONs DEAR TO SAILORS
AND FISHERMEN.

.. 49, 81 I
The Morse Story Of Hu~ the Sea Be.
came Salt-Where Women Are Not
Wanted at tLnunchinEs-DavyJ Jones'
Locker and the Flying Dutchman.
The English are not an imaginative
people. We accept legends and supersti-
tions rather than originate them Our
sailors have roalned over the world and
have CLEANED romantic notions from the
dwcllers in countries they have visited.
Not many yc,irs ago there lived n veteran
bluejacket In Sussex village who held
firmly to his belief In various queer warn
ings, omcns and practices and who per-
suadctl his ncighbors to share his crcluli-
ty, He never allowed any woman to touch
the fishing nets after they We're got ready
for the boats. If by chance that prohibit
tion OF his was tisobcycd. he insisted that
the female who had laid finger upon the
net should be made to repeat the Lords
prayer over it, 'AI 9aleH4!lE s!tE
In Sweden, ,Lapland and the Isle of
skye the presence of woman at the
launching of u new vessel is supposed to
doom it, unless the Lord prayer is rccitcd
aloud backward by tho members of the
crews; so no doubt my old sailor had picked
up his unfiattcring theory against wom-
ans influence for gool He cautioned
fishermen never to mention their wives or
swccthcarts within hearing of the boat,
"or she would be offended and sink out of
jealousy H G.r,.,
When lads spoke OF "whistling for a
wind. this ancient mariner sneercd at
their superstition" strange to say, but
assured them that a blow was only to be
obtained by scratching with nail on the
wood Of the foremast-a Hamburg belief
this U4.s. f.ga-i..{ SUE >~i,fT
The fishermen of one of our English
seaside villages used to refuse to embark
If by any chance they had seen pig since
morning, and they never dared speak of
"the shore" within sight of the sea, rs to
do so was supposed to imply that place
other than the ocean was their home II
vessel puts out to sea before o'clock on
Friday, no word should be spoken until
stone with u cross scrapetl on it has been
dropped overheard. Sunday, we are told,
is the luckiest day upon which to start for
tho fishing ground.
It is general belief in Scotland that
II quarrel happen on the coast where
herring is caught and blood be shed by
violence, the herring then goes right away
from the coast and does not put in an ap-
pearance again until the next season.
Icelanters do not allow dogs to be taken.
on fishing expedition, believing that II
they enter the boats or touch the tackle
the catch is bound to be poor one.
TO overturn saltcellar is always un-
lucky, but especially SO on board, it being
then a sure sign that the ship is doomed.
A serious peril OF accident is foretold by
the loss overheard Of mop or q bucket.
In many places the fisher folk forbid any
counting from land of the ships out at
sea, and it Is considered q malicious deed,
little short Of murder, for any one to beck
on to o vessel. 'E
There is a legend in the Morse scalds
which explains why tho sea Is salt. The
"bountiful Frodi," :" whose mythical reign
was golden age indeed, possessed
quern, or hand mill, which ground out
gold and peace, but which would grind
out stores Of anything desired by its own
er. Two giant maidens, ruled over by
Frodi were the grinders. In an evil day
q sea rover came upon the scene, slew
Frodi and carried off the quern and the
two giant maidens who worked it. When
tho sea rover's vessel was right out to sea,
he ordered the maidens to grind salt At
midnight they asked if they had not
ground enough. The sea rover, angry at
being awakened from his sleep, com
manded them to grind until morning.
Now, the giant lnaidcns naturally enough
worked very quickly, SO as they went on
grinding the load of salt grew so heavy
that 1T sunk the ship, and now the sea win
continue salt forever.
"Davy Jones' locker" is the ancient
sailors name for tho bottom Of the sea.
ho0i LOFT I,o1.l
to the nature Of Davy Jones, some regard
ing him as an old merman, others as an
evil spirit in command over the demons
of the deep
Authorities state that the name is de-
rived in two ways-from Duffy" who ia
ghost believed in by the West Indian is
landers, and from the prophet Jonah.
There was once retired sailor who
earned responsible income by tramping
our coast country and singing or reciting
his wonderful adventures, chief of which
had been an apparition Of Davy Jones
himself, which had foretold the wreck Of
the vessel. To him Davy had appeared as
q giant with q skull for head, blue
flames issuing from his eyesockets and a
sardonic grin disclosing three rows Of
enormous pointed teeth. Other old salts
claim to have seen Davy riding on whale,
and In some parts Of England the sea ser-
pent Is supposed to be Davy's horse.
Few sailors are able to tell the legend Of
the Flying Dutchman, though they look
out for the phantom ship in all waters.
It is the Cape Of Good Hope alone which
the spectral vessel is supposed to haunt,
however, since Mynheer Vanderdecken
swore that he would double the cape in
the teeth Of the tempest .'.even If he sailed
until the day Of Judgment. !" So Mynhear
must go, on sailing, waiting and. ever
waiting, until the end Of the world, but
he and his ship are invisible to men. exceut
to the crews Of doomed vessels.
Any sailor win start gayly on voyage
Il black cat has taken up her abode On
board gs3yj ss5',, ] =
The ocean is the dear friend, the sweet
beart, the pride, Of the sailor, though in
spite Of the caprices and cruelties Of which
he believes her guilty. Let 8 landlubber
speak against the blue waves and sea-
faring life and see how the fisher WIN re-
ceiveE his comments. The answer win no
doubt recall the well known song :l 4 81
Avasti Nor don't think me . imilksopf % soft
N<N ~ AuS-~s A--A