Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-03-03
ACTORS IN NAUTICAL ENTRiNA-
CANA DRILL FOR THEIR
PARTS DUTIFULLN.
KING neptune IN CHARGE
Preparations A.c Made Days Ahead
Performance OF Rites Are in-
tcrcsting in the Extreme

ciflc fleets and European stations
etc, she does not very often do it
the ceremony Of the coming abroad OF
Neptune is usually the feature of the
cruise.
When a ship is 20 cross the equator
preparations are made days ahead
and the actors In the nautical eX'
travaganza are no less carefully
drilled in their parts than the players
in a Broadway musical show,
The appurtenancos and properties
which some southern bound ships
carry are indeed on less ponderoua
and expensive than the scenery OF
many a road company.
There is, to begin with, the cos
tuning of the company Nowadays
Neptuno's character means something
yarn whiskers of the simpler days of
the old "windjammer." His sub
marine majesty is gotten up I'm a rig
that would do no dscredit to a sage
comedian.
Naturally, the whole performance
holds the center of he stage as the
chief ceremony Of the occasion of
crossing the line depends on the shay
ing of all landsmen. 1t is most
interesting exper,ence-for the lands
men.
Let us to the scene of the cere-
mony. In the first place it has to be
in the nature of things a hot day, for
the sun is directly overhead and its
rays stream down on the decks until
the tar boils cut between the panks
in sizzling bubbles.
Early in the morning by orders of
the skipper, staging has been rgged
over the bow just above the forward
torpedo tube and Neptune and his
train, concealed by the awning Of the
gangway to the head, have crawled
through the hawse pipes and are
ready. An observation is taken from
the bridge. The ship is in the lati-
tude represented by zero. A blast
from the whistle announces the fact
and King Neptune and his crew climb
literally over the bow 20 the TO-
castle.
For the next hour the captain of
that ship keeps to his cabin and re-
liquishes his command. King Nep-
tune is in sole charge.
While his majesty is making a
speech of welcome his aids are
searching the ship for hidden lands
men. No place of hiding is neglected
Men are pulled out from coal bunkers
and from under boat covers; from the
fighting tops and everywhere else
they may have hidden and are mar
shaled on the fo-castle.
Meanwhile, on the deck spare
sail has been triced up to the avn
ing stanchions and filled from a fire
hose with water in the middle Of this
respectable pond staging is erected
and on it, by his chair stands Nep-
tnue's barber. one by one the lands
men are taken to the barber, who
coats them with an indescribable
lather and shaves them.
They are then dropped through a
trap into the water and after the
low have finished with them. If there
is anything left, they are presented
with the certificate of the order of
deep sea sailors and made free of the
fellowship of the sea.
They have crossed re line, earned
their sea legs and they may roll and
swagger as much as they please.
The following account of the rites
performed on crossing the line is TAX
en- from the official records of the
United States battleship Montana.
The L. S. s. Montana, bound from
Port of Spain, Trinidad. for Buenos
Aires. Argentina, passed into the
equatorial domain on the evening of
April 2S. 1910.
Upon entering the boundary a
bright lookout, assisted by search
lights was kept and Davy Jones, sec.
retary to his majesty, Neptunus Rex.
hailed the ship and boarded at seven
bells to inform the officials that on
the morrow Neptune. with his royal
party. would come on board to init ate
he landlubbers into the mystery of
his domain and incidentally Dayy
brought the official mail from his
majesty, consisting of subpoenas for
all landlubbers TO appear for initla.
tion.
The royal court went into session
for the trial of all officers on various
charges, which appeared elsewhere.
and this being finished the first TAM,
'ictm was suddenly tipped into the
fenced by the judge. given a pill by
the doctor, mouth attended by the
dentist, lathered by the BARRIERS cats.
then placed in the automatic chair for
a shave with the electrically charged
razor. on the completion or which the
victim was suddenly tipped into the
tank and washed clean of all land
lubber" habits.
Much amusement was afforded to
the spectators during the initiation Of
more than 500 men, in addition to
the tank. Incarceration in the several
'spudlockers. together with imprls-
onment in an especially we'll construc-
ted set Of stocks with variation of
masthead lookoupt. solo singing and
playing etc. served to cause no end
Of laughter and general enjoyment.
The parade formed on the quarter
deck prior TO Neptune taking charge
was very amusing and well done. II
IL, t,arIanc cofa 20 cav