The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-11-20

Sailors are the most superstltlous
people in the world said an old man
who was discoursing from his seat
upon a rusty anchor
Anything they can't understand,
went on the speaker, they explain by
magic or something supernatural. And
the life too, makes men superstitious.
Let young fellow who would pooh
pooh the idea of putting OFF anything
until Saturday or next week because
Friday is an rnlScky day to ship be-
fore the mast, and inside OF SIX
months he'll be like all the rest, full
OF signs and superstitions about this
and that
Il think that one of the beliefs most
common among seamen of all classes,
went on the speaker, lis the idea that
cat on board ship will cause her to
meet with gales. The old saying is
that a cat carries a gale in her TAIL
and the sailors believe that when
cat frisks about the deck she is rails
ing a storm. The belief that one can
orally found among seamen, although
those of the younger sort do not be-
lieve these things so firmly as do
most of the older tars. In my young
er days remember boys having their
ears boxed by the captain or the mate
who caught them whistling about their
duties.
1T is curious how sailors dislike a
cat and how the name is associated
with so many things that are I'M
pleasant to the sailor. Thecat-o'-nine
tails is well-known enough, and no
sailor has any love for the gear used
In raising the anchor, such as the cat
head, the catfall, the cathook and the
catback. The pig seems only to be
second to the cat in the bad reputa-
ton it has on board ship, and there
are some other things which are I'M
lucky to have on the water. All luck
is supposed to desert a vessel that
carries dead body.
Il know of but one thing that is
considered to bring good fortune to the
vessel, and that is a child. The pres
ence of a child during voyage is
always thought to be good omen,
and it is believed that no ship which
has child on board will sink. On
the other hand, women are thought
unlucky. I cannot tell the reason for
this unless it Is that a ship is the
least comfortable place for woman
in the world, and the least suitable.
Certain classes of people fall under
the sailor taboo. Ministers are sure
to bring misfortune to any ship that
carries one out of sight of land, al
though the presence of priest is
not considered to be unlucky by
Catholic sailors. But of all people
whom the sailor detests, the lawyer is
looked at with the greatest dislike.
Lawyers are particularly unlucky to
have on board.
"These are some of the unlucky
things which stilors believe" went on
the man of the sea, relighting his
pipe, "but in addition to these things
there are many others in which they
place more or less faith. l have seen
many old tars who believed that
Films or Laplanders had magic pow
ers. The Films are a strange, silent
people and have come to have the
reputation of being wizards. 1t is
thought that they can use this power
for either good or bad and they are
somewhat feared by the average sail
or. 1t is sometimes believed that a
Finn can make all the rats leave a
ship if he wishes, and that Films have
a great deal of control over the winds.
They can raise storm by spells, and
it is unWise to anger thtem.
81 have heard old sailors tell of GER
tain Firms who were members of the
same ships company with themselves
in past voyages who could send mes
sages to absent friends on shore by
gulls, which would light upon the rig
ging at their call and repeat to the
relatives of the Laplander the mes
sage that he whispered to them. They
also told of Finn who had bottle
of liquor from which he could drink
several times every day without low
ering the contents. 1t always re-
NAMED just so full day after day and
week after week. There are also men
of some other nations who are thought
to have more than ordinary powers.
"Some of the older sailors believe
that it is possible to buy wind" as
they call it, and by this is meant get
ting the favor of certain persons who
have control over the elements. There
are not many sailors now alive who
mt mich faith in this although