The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-06-28
ODD SUPERST|T|ONS
 HELD BY SAILORS
Believe Storms Are Caused
 by Jonah Aboard
MANY WEIRD NOTIONS
Think the Albatross Are Reincarnated Souls-Cats Considered Lucky. Killing of Pig at Sea Is
 Very Important

Why does a seafaring man-captain, cook or cabin boy-consider it unlucky to ship with man who neglected to pay his laundry bill, asks the Philadel- phia Public Ledger.
 Why does a sailor nearing port after a lengthy voyage gather up old clothes and shoes unfit for further use and tremendously commit them to the deep?
 Why does he like to sail on a ship i which displays a sharks tooth firmly nailed to the bowsprit or jibboom?
 Why does he like cats?
 Why does he place great faith in the merits of pig as a weather profit?
 The simplest answer to these ques- tions is-because the average sailor is superstitious. He may not be quite as superstitious perhaps as the old-timer who went long voyages in sailing yes sels but the advent of the four-day transatlantic liner-skyscraping steam ship and floating hotels which travel from port to port on schedule time In defiance of unfavorable weather con ditions-has not quite deprived the sail or of hls reputation for superstitious- ness.
 Ys Some day he may become as matter of fact as an underground railway guard, but there still fingers round him enough of the romance and mystery of the sea to make an interesting study @.of him and his odd beliefs.
 During very rough weather at sea 1t wouldbe hard to convince any old-time sailor that there wasn't Jonah aboard. Many captains of the old school, who ought to know better, are so superstl- tious in this respect that 1t is not un- | common for them to take intense dis Hike to officers who have happened ap- parently to be harbingers of bad wealth ger, and especially fog. It Is quite usual on board ship to find members of the crew nicknamed "Foggy Jones, Heavy Weather Bill" or "Squally Jack"
 Cats Considered Lucky
 Cats on board ship are considered lucky, and many stray one hnds comfortable home and careful atten- tion with Jack for it's friend, although on the other hand, our domestic friend has at times been held responsible for the continuance of very bad weather and had to play the part of Jonah to the full extent
 Perhaps the most amusing supersti- ition of the sailor is in considering 1t lcrime for any member of the crew to leave port with his washing bill unpaid, as this neglect is generally believed to be the cause of bad weather being en- countered just after leaving port.
 The ways of invoking the gods of the clements to bestow fair weather and winds are numerous. Among the best known is that when nearing port aftsr a lengthy voyage, old clothes and shoes unfit for further wear are collected and thrown overheard with much ceremony and faith as to the ultimate beneficial ---resislts which win carry the ship swift ly and safely into harbor.
 One of the most curious superstitions is that dealing with the capture of q shark. The natural dread and antipathy with which these monsters of the deer are viewed causes a capture to be hail. ed with much rejoicing All hands from the captain to the cabin boy, take keen interest in the operations and having successfully landed the shark on deck-a proceeding that causes nc little excitement-it is killed and its tail cut off. This trophy is then nailed either on the end of the bowsprit oi the jibboom and is considered valua- ble charm, capable of having the power to bring the ship fair winds and finest of weather. It is not uncommon to sec sailing ships lying in port with this pc culiar sign of the sailors superstition but the custom is fast dying out witt the advent of the steamship, where tn, capture of shark at sea Is very rar' occurrence.
 Another Weird Belief
 Another remarkable and weird belle Is that connected With the alDalroSs These huge birds measuring IA to l feet from tip to tip of their wings. ar only to be seen in the stormy regions O the Capes of Good Hope and Horn an the surrounding attitudes. They folloy the ships for a week at a time. Tn peculiar belief of old sailors credi these birds with possessing the soul of ancient mariners, who for their mis deeds have been doomed to SCOUT thes stormy regions for eternity.
 During calms these birds are easil. captured by contrivance of the sailor own invention, which, being baited. at taches itself to the hooked bill on tn albatross attempting to procure tn bait, and the bird is then hauled ol board. Few captains of ships will al low these birds to be killed by the crey on account of the belief that the kill ing would be certain of bringing dis astrous results
 The killing of a pig at sea Is alway an occasion of much importance. no only for the reason that fresh meat 1 to be enjoyed--a great luxury on a sail ing ship after perhaps months of sal provisions-but also because what i termed "big breeze" or favorable win may be looked upon as a certaint, Pigs when kept in sailing ships ar often let out of their pens, and thei movements, which are believed to fore tell the state of the wind to be expect ed. are watched with keen interest