Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1910-08-31
SALT SEA YARNS.
Signs and 0mens to Which the
Sailor GrimIy CIings.
A JOKE THAT PROVED FATAL.
Superstition and Guilty Conscience
Proved Too Much For tho Morse
man A Bucket OF Water That
Stopped q Mysterious WaiIina.

Stopped Mysterious WaiIins.
IL IL well known fact that In the
past the sailor was among the most
SupcrStitiouS of mortals. and even in
these enlightened days there are a
goodly number of old salts who cling
tenaciou~iy to their belief i'm certain
signs and .'H-:entS. Some. no doubt.
of these SdiPrS;iiOnS have vanished
altogether into the limbo of forgot
ten things. but there will always be a
credulOuS few who will shake their
heads Solemnly ana prophcSy dismally
ii knife is stuck in the mast or an
albatroSs or stormy petrol Is cap
tured and brought on board. The
origin of some of these superstitions
cannot be traced. Many of them have
been handed down from father to son
for a great number of years. with
touch probably added here and there
turning a comparatively ordinary sto-
~ into a weird and mysterious legend
The Finn * the most superstitious
of all sailors There are many of this
race who still believe i'm the ominous
pOrtent of the phantom ship. the folly
of starting n voyage on Friday IN no
ton by no means confined to seafaring
mem, the low burning blue lights
which are ghost spirits lowering near
TO give warning of approaching disas-
ter and many other things. all Of
which
Fill the sailors mind with murmurings
And speak to him OF wrecks.
A story is told of brigantine which
numbered several extremely supersti-
tious men among her crew One night
when there was no moon and a slight
ground swell was running the watch,
who happened TO be the most super
stitious of them ALL heard an unearth-
ly wailing coming apparently from the
very surface of the sea. The mate and
the helmsman also heard it. but the
former lacked imagination. and, al
though he was certainly interested, he
nearly blew the watch's head Off when
he vcntured to suggest mermaids. The
helmsman did not feel quite happy, but
he had 10 stick 10 the wheel. The
watch was pale with terror. but he
kept silence owing 10 the mates COM
plimentary references TO his courage
and abilities. Slowly the sound began
10 move along the ships side. becom-
Ing moro and more agonizcd as II ap-
preached. This annoyed the mate. and.
going to the side of the vessel. he wait
I'd until he had located the sound and
then emptied bucket of water over
the rail. There was Il gasp. then dead
silence. and nothing more was heard
that night
When the watch went of duty he OF
course gave detailed and lurid ac-
count of the incident to his shipmates,
who listened. as he thought. in awed
silence and then called on one Of the
audience for his version Of the matter
This man. a Tync-Sider. who dearly
loved a joke and had no respect at
all for hoary Supersttions. had con-
spired with his fellows TO play trick
on the watch. On the night in Ques-
ton he had crept over the bows with
out Il sound. carrying with him the
ships cat secured in a bag. Crouch
ing under the stays. the joker let the
cats head out OF the bag. which he tied
round the animals neck so that it
could not escape. He then applied his
teeth to the unfortunate animals tail
Every body knows the fearsome sounds
an angry eat is capable of producing
and those to which a ca: whose tail IS
being bitten gives vent are among the
most hair raising. The sound was
i more or less regulated by squeezing
i the luckless beasts body. The mates
bucket of water was as unwelcome as
unexpected and caused the Tyne-sider
10 beat q hurried retreat
i Not only is the origin OF many sea
superstitions "wropt in mystery" but
also any logical explanation of cause
and effect. 1t would puzzle any one to
-, say why it should he unlucky for the
ships boy to whistle on the weather
bow. except that 1t is generally un-
, pleasant from music lovers point of
, view for boy to whistle on any bow
at all.
On one occasion superstition and a
guilty conscience caused a practical
, joke to have fatal consequences. The
incident arose through one of the sail
Ors. n Norwegian. boxing the ears of
r the ships boy for the aforementioned
e crime of whistling on the weath her bow
a Not unnaturally the boy WAS annoyed
p and determined to pay the Norwegian
q out Aided by two other sailors a
white shirt and some string. a very
presentable ghost" was arranged il
l., the foc'sle on the night the NOrsemaI
% was on watch. He was to be allowed
G only glimpse of the spirit" on enter
e Ing the fOc'sIe, and ii was then to van
f. ish from view. being jerked by means
!. Of string underneath the bunk of on,
Il of the jOkers Everything was ready