The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-08-29
SALT SEA YARNS.
Signs and 0mens TO Which the
Sailor GrimIy CIings.
A JOKE THAT PROVED FATAL.

Superstition and Guilty conseisucs
Proved Too Much For the Morse
mana Bucket Of Water That
Stopped = Mysterious Wsilins.
1t is a well known fact that in the
past the sailor was among the most
superstitious OF mortals. and even ia
these enlightened days there are a
\ goodly number Of old salts who cling
teHaciously to their belief IN certain
signs and portents. Some. no doubt.
Of these superstitions have vanished
altogether into the limbo OF forgot
ten things. but there win always be
credulous few who will shake their
heads solemnly and prophesy dlsmaliy
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 superstitlons
cannot be traced. Many Of them have
been handed down from father to son
for a great number Of years. with a
touch probably added here and there.
turning a comparatively ordinary sto-
~ into weird and mysterious legend.
The Finn Is the most superstitious
Of all sailors. There are many OF this
race who stu believe in tho ominous
portent OF the phantom ship. the folly
Of starting a voyage on a Friday "a no.
ton by no means confined 70 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
FIJI the sailors mind with murmurings
And speak to him of wrecks.
A story IS told of brigantlne which
numbered several extremely supersti.
ious 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-
" wailing coming apparently from the
very surface OF the sea. The mate and
the helmsman also heard 1t, but the
former lacked imagination. and. al
though he was certainly interested, he
nearly blew the watch's head of when
he ventured TO suggest mermaids. The
helmsman did not feel quite happy, but
be had to stick TO the wheel The
watch was pale with terror, but he
kept silence owing to the mates COM
plimentary references 10 his courage
and abilities. Slowly the sound began
TO move along the ships side, becom
ing more and more agonlzed as it APP
preached This annoyed the mate, aud
going to the side Of the vessel, be wait
ed until he bad located the sound and
then emptled a bucket Of water over
the rail- There was a gasp then dead
silence, and nothing more was heasa
that night.
When the watch went off duty he o.
course gave detailed and lurid &C.
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. T
This man, a Tyne-sider, who dearly /
loved joke and had no respect at
all for hoary superstitions, had CON
spired with bis fellows to play trick
on the watch On the night In ques-
ton be bad crept over the bows with /
out sound. carrying with him the
ships cat secured in bag Crouch I
Ing under the stays. the joker let the
cats head ont of the bag, which he tied
round the animals neck so that 1t
could not escape He then applied his
teeth to the unfortunate animals tail /
Everybody knows the fearsome sounds
an angry cat is capable of producing
and those to which cat whose tail Is
being bitten gives vent are among the
most hair raising. The sound was
more or less regulated By squeezing
the luckless beasts body. The mates
bucket Of water was as unwelcome as
unexpected and caused the Tyne-sider
to beat hurried retreat,
Not only is the origin of many sea
"wropt in mystery" but
also any logical explanation Of cause
and effect. It would puzzle any enc to
say why 1t should be unlucky for the
ships boy to whistle on the weather
bow. except that it is generally I'M
pleasant from a music lovers point of
view for boy TO whistle on any bow
at all
on one occasion superstition and
guilty conscience caused practical
joke TO have fatal consequences The
incident arose through one OF the sail.
ors. a Norwegian. boxing the ears Of
the ships boy for the aforementioned
crime Of whistling on the weather bow.