The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-08-06
FRANK COOKE
IS INITIATED

10 Australia. / shall now send You Il
few lines concerning how we spent the
4th of July.
Ever since leaving Honolulu. Satur-
day, June 90. we have had very smooth
seas and fine weather.
II has been quite warm while near
lag the equator, but now. since crossing
the line. 1t is growing cooler as we
go south. on Monday We hope 10
reach Suva, the largest city in the Fiji
Islands. about the size of Hilo. Then
we go on 10 sydney. which Is Gbout the
size of San Francisco or larger.
1 had often heard about Neptune,
the god of the ocean, and OF his treat
ment OF those crossing the line for the
first time.
All day Wednesday. July 5. there was
much talk on board about crossing the
line, and preparations were going or
for the celebration OF the Fourth and
the reception of Neptune and his
court. Many were the stories We heard.
some true. but many untrue. At 3
o'clock in the evening. Boom, went
the gun on the upper deck and soon
there was seen a bright light on the
water TO the stern OF the vessel.
What's thati What's thatl called
many of the passengers. That is the
signal always given when The ship
crosses the imaginary line between the
North and South Pacific Oceans. and
for Neptune TO report TO the ships cap
tain. After few minutes a notice was
posted in the different parts OF the
ship. that Neptune and his court IL
full dress would appear on board at
2:30 p. m. of the Fourth of July TO mete
out the punishment to all on board who
had never before crossed the line.
The next morning being the Fourth.
much excitement prevailed all over the
ship. 1 visited the steerage and fore
castle in the forward part of the yes
sci several times during the morning
and saw much of what was going on in
those quarters.
The crew were shifting a pile Of
heavy lumber (4x12). making a large
platform over the main hatch and ar
ranging cross pieces to the railing TO
make large canvas water tank about
twenty feet long by sixteen feet wide
and four feet deep. This was soon I'LL
ed with salt water by S-inch fire hose
attached to the steam pump on board.
After dinner and promptly at 2:30 p.
M, Neptune with his little wife "a
small sailor boy dressed up). his court
and attendants (some of them passen-
gers and crew, about twenty or more.
all dressed in fashions and styles pc
culiar to the inhabitants of the South
Seas and his own people, appeared.
Most of the dresses, skirts, hsadgears,
etc., were made of UNFINISHED and
braided old Manila rope. The hair.
boards, hat trimmings, etc, were very
good and we'll made, the whole sight
making a most unusual and interesting
i parade.
The company filed up the forward
gangway and marched single file all
over the ship, much to the amusement
of all on board and greeted by their
hurrahs. They passed from end to end.
side to side and top to bottom Of our
big steamship Aorangi.
| Neptune and his court finally assem-
bled on and around the platform over
| the hatch. His four devils went
straight into the water to be ready to
receive the victims as they were
thrown into the tank The bailiff. with
his big spreading trumpet, called out
one by one the names from among the
passengers of those who had never
crossed the line before, to come forth
and appear before Neptune and his
court. They had to come forth and
were seated one at time on the little
bench prepared for them on the mar
gin of the platform just over the edge
of the tank The doctor, the barber
and helpers then went through in great
/ style the operation of shaving the vic
tim with a large carpenters two-foot
bevel-square for razor, using a nasty
| quality of soft soap. etc. put on with
| a large six-inch paste brush Just as
| the shaving was completed the Two
helpers doused the patient all over
with flour and blue paint, and at that
moment the seat was capsized and the
fellow was tipped over backwards into
the tank of water. Here the devils
ducked him over and over again, pre-
tending to wash his face and body
while the three-inch stream of water
played on them. 1t was a most laugh
able and ridiculous performance. Hoot-
| ing and laughter were loud and long
and heard all over the ship after each
act.
The first victim was a little girl
about ten years old, she being followed
by her brother, about eight years old.
They stood the treatment well, and
seemed to enjoy it as much as the res;
of US. Then came one man after an
other, many of them belonging to the
lacrosse team from Canada going tC
play the game in Australia (there are
fourteen of them).
As the program went on the name Of
A F. Cooke was sounded forth. There
was no getting out of It, although NO
properly prepared for the ordeal.
quickly took off my coat, vest ant
shoes and went forward and mounted
the platform where so many had beer
before me. Instead, however, of takins
my place on the seat, put my ARM
around the barber and with him turn
bled into the tank. The devils at ono.
caught me and placed me on the seat
This made much fun for all.
Instead of being quiet, 1 watched m!
chance and with a quick turn jumpes
up, capsized the two buckets of soal
and paint, and while struggling witt
l..