The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-03-17
LEGENDS OF TEE SEA.
SUPERSTITlONS DEAR TO SAILORS
ARID FISHERMEN.

The Morse story OF HOW the Sen BE-
came Salt. here Women Are Not
Wanted at Misunderstanding Jones
Locker and the Flying Dutciimnn.
The English are not an imaginative
people We accept legends and sllpersti
lions rather than originate them. Our
sailors have roamCd over the world and
have CLEANED romantic notions from the
jewellers in countries they have visited.
Not many years ago there lived IL veteran
blucjacllet in IL Sussex village who held
firmly to his belief i'll various queer warn
ings, omens and practices and who per
suadcd his ncighbUrs to share his creduli-
ty. He never allowed any woman to touch
the fishing nets after they were got ready
for the boats. If by chance that prohibi-
ton of his was disobcycd, he insisted that
the female who had laid finger upon the
net should be made to repeat the Lords
prayer over it.
In Sweden, Lapland and the Isle of
Skye the presence of Il woman 1T the
launching of a new vessel is supposed TO
doom it, unless the lords prayer is r&citrti
aloud backward by the members of the
crews; so no doubt my old sailor had picked
up his unfla:tcring theory against won-
ans influence for good. He cautioned
fishermen never to mention their wives or
swcethcarts within hearing of the boat,
"or she would be offended and sink out Of
jealousy"
When lads spoke of "whistling for IL
wind" this ancient mariner snccred at
their superstition" strange to say, but
assured them that n blow was only to he
obtained by scratching with Ii nail OH tie
wood of the foremast-a Hamburg belief
this.
The fishermen of one of our English
seaside villages used to refuse to embark
If by any chance they had seen q pig since
morning, and they never dared speak of
''the shore" within sight of the sea- as to
do so was supposed to imply that place
other than the ocean was their home. If
a vessel puts out to sea before 3 O'Clock on
Friday, no word should be spoken until
a stone with cross scrapCd on it has been
dropped overheard Sunday, we are told,
is the luckiest day upon which to start for
the fishing ground.
1t is n general belief in Scotland that
If n quarrel happen on the coast where
herring is caught and blood be shed by
violence, the herring then gees right away
from the coast and does not put in an APP
pearance again until the next season.
Icelanders do not allow dogs to be taken
on fishing expedition, believing that if
they enter the boats or touch the tackle
the catch is bound to be u poor one.
To overturn saltcellar is always un-
lucky, but especially so on board, IL being
then a sure sign that the ship is doomed.
A serious peril or accident is foretOd by
the loss overheard of Il mop or a bucket.
In many places the fisher folk forbid any
l1n of CHI ,,1t nj
sea, and it is considered u malicious deed.
little short of murder, Tor any one to beck
on to vessel
There is legend in the Morse scalds
which explains why the sea is salt The
"bountiful Frodi, whose mythical reign
was II golden age indeed, possessed IS
quern, or hand mill, which ground ont
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. II an evil day
o sea rover, came upon the scene, slew
Frodi and carried of the quern and the
two giant maidcns who worked it. When
the sea rovers vessel WIS right out to sea,
he ordered the ma!dcns TO grind salt At
midnight they asked if they has. not
ground enough. The sea rover angry vt
being awakened from his sleep, conf
manded them to grind until morning.
Now the giant maidcnS naturally enough
worked very quickly, so as they went on
grinding the luld of salt grew so heavy
that it sunk the snip, auu now the sea will
continue salt forever.
"Davy Jones' locker is the ancient
sailors name for the bottom of the sea.
Many different beliefs have been held rs
to the nature Of Davy Jones. SEINE regard
l..
evil spirit in command over the demons
of the deep.
Authorities state that tho name is de-
rived in two ways-fro,a "Dutt.yT, +" who is
ghost believed in by he West Indian is
landers, and from the prophet Jonah.
There WAS once IL retired sailor who
earned II responsible income by tr;lmping
our coast country and singing or rcciting
his wonderful adventures chief of which
had been an apparitiun % Eavy Jones
himself which had lurctOld the wreck of
the vessel. To him Eary had appeared as
a giant with IL skull for Il head, blue
flames issuing from his cycsockets and ii
surdonic grin disclosing three rows of
enormous pointed teeth. Other old salts
claim 20 have seen Davy riding on IL whale,
and i'll some parts of England the sea SER
pent is supposed 10 IL lj:yy's horse.
Few Sailors are i:..!c to eel the legend of
the Flying Dut'hnIi,n. though they look
out for the phantom s:!ip IN all waters.
1t is the Cap of Good Hope alone which
the spectral vessel is supposed to haunt,
however, since Mynneer Vandcrdcckcn
swCrc that h. would duJiblc the cape in
the teeth of the tempest even il he sailed
until the day of Judgment" So Mynheer
must go on sailing, waiting and ever
waiting, until the end of the world, but
he and his ship are invisible to men, except
to the crews OF doomed vessels
Any sailor will start gayly on voyage
if n black cat has taken up her abode ON
board
The ocean is the dear friend, the sweet
heart, the pride, Of the sailor, though in
spite of the caprices and cruclties of which
he believes her guilty. Let IL landlubber
speak against the blue waves and IL sea
faring life and see how the fisher will re-
ceivc his comments The answer will no
doubt recall the well known song:
Avastl Nor don't think a milksop SO soft
To be taken by triics aback,
Eor they say there's Providence sits up aloft
To keep watch for the life of poor Jack.
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