The Republican journal., 1912-01-04
WHEN NEPTUNE APPEARS.
The Ruler of the Sea Comes Aboard
While Crossing the Equator.


On a lovely starlight night in Deem
Der we lay, clad in thin, white alpacas,
in our steamer chairs on the hurricane
deck of a great ship as it silently plowed
it's way through the foaming waves of
the Indian Ocean. 1t was deliciously
comfortable III our light clothing, with
the soft, caressing breeze of the sea in
the tropical night and above the brilliant
stars and the Southern Cross with its
five stars in kite shape, and the False
Cross, so often mistaken for the former
as its four stars more closely resemble
the form of a cross These are constel-
lations of great interest to the traveller,
who no longer beholds the friendly Big
Dipper and the guiding Northern Star.
At the equator the days and nights
are of equal length, and gorgeous SUM-
sets, the loveliest colors tinting the
clouds about 20 minutes after the sun
dips below the edge of the vast sea, are
followed quickly by darkness.
A feeling of excitement was in the air
that evening as we were about to cross
the equator, and after dinner we had
been chatting in group with the jovial
captain, when we were astonlshed at
seeing two strange creatures come over
the rail and approach US. Most fantas-
tlcally CARRIED in drenched garments,
with fish entangled in their long boards,
they announced themselves as heralds
from the Court of Neptune and babe us
welcome to their royal masters domin
ions, and furthermore made proclama
ton that on the morrow Neptune and
his court would come on board to per-
form the rites of baptism and christen-
ing on those who had not gone that way
before.
The gallant captain replied in we'll
chosen phrases, and, calling for stems
of beer, which arrived OH the instant,
heaths were drunk in the foaming mead
with great enthusiasm. After this
friendly ceremony the strange heralds
made their way aft and disappeared
over the rail as they had come, only a
weird splash in the sea betokening their
destination to the score of curious pas
sengers who followed them at little
distance to see their uncanny exit.
The custom Of rechristening with
sea name the traveller upon his first
crossing the equator originated with the
Scandinavian sailors, who brought it
south from the Arctic Circle, where it
had long been customary as a recognl-
ton of the bravery of those who sailed
into dangerous seas. Accordingly the
next afternoon, shortly after luncheon,
a procession appeared on deck headed by
the band, wondrously arrayed in all
sorts Of odd garments from white spike
tailed coats to scarlet shirts, decorated
with immense yellow buttons Follow
ing the band a crowd of Nubian slaves
attracted much attention, clad only in
ballet creations of rope yarn, tin arm
let's and brass nose rings, their muscular
eXtremities nude to the admiring gaze.
After an interval of dignity strobe the
great Neptune himself, accompanied by
his fair queen. The sovereign of the
seas lowered to the majestic height of
SIX feet three inches, and wore fierce
mustachios nearly foot long, while his
beard flowed down over his ample chest
to his knees One mighty fist grasped
l0-foot scarlet and gold trident, while a
red flannel tunic fell from his shoulders
to his mighty thighs. The queen was of
Amazonian stature swathed in unre-
lleved black and her fiaXen hair hung in
thick braid to her heels. Both wore
lofty pointed crowns upon their imperial
heads. Los Angeles Times.