The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-03
FESTIVAL OF NEPTUNE,
 TABLED GOD OF THE sRA.


 In the calendar of the ancient Ro-
 mans, the third of December was ce1e-
 brated as the festival of Neptune the
 fableds god of the sea. On that date
 each year all the mariners addicted
 to the prevailing faith offered up
 prayers and praise to the monarch of
 the ocean. Sea-going men who failed
 in this duty Of propitiating the often
 angry deity of the waves were con-
 sidered infideIs, and were thought to
 incur grave danger of destruction.
 With the downfall of the ancient
 faith of pagan Rome, Neptune's feast
 day has all but passed from the
 memory of men. The old god Of the
 sea is far from forgotten, however,
 as every person who has crossed the
 equator in q ship may testify. The
 ceremony of crossing the Iif1e.''
 which is regarded as under the super
 vision of 1Geptune. has degeperated in-
 to g. mere joke, althos1gh sst here are some modern sailors, Especially
 among tho Italians, who are stiH in clined to regard Neptune with fear and trembling and accord to- him the
 reverence that is his due.
 The ''high 5iinks' which Character ize 'scrossing the line especially on battIeships, dates back to ancient
 times The ceremony was originally
 performed when ships passed through the ssPillars of Herculess from the Mediterranean into the unknown At | lantic. Later the custom was adopted
 by mariners when passing from north to south latitude, or vice versa.
 The passage of the equator on mod
 ern passenger ships is usually not ac- complished without some ceremony m
 honor Of Neptune, but this is in the form of a mere diversion for the pas-
 sengers On battleships the ceremony
 often assumes form not dissimilar 1, ,9t,xr
 the days of sailing ships. The tars who have never crossed the line" are made to perform a wide variety of antics for the amusement of the older sailors. who have gained i'm l tnunity from previous experience. A bogus Neptune'' always figures in
 these ceremonies.
 The treatment of sJohnny Raws l on a British warsaip more than half d century ago was thus describeds ssOn crossing the lirles Q voice ,as if at a distance, and near the surface 1 of the water. crieds tHo, ship, ahopi I shall come on board '" This was
 from a man sIung over the bows. One represented Neptune. He was I naked to the waist. crowned with the head Of a large wet swab, the end of l which reached to his 1oins. to repre- sent flowing locks; a piece of tar paulin, vandyked, encircled the head of the svab and his brows as a i. diadern; he carried a boarding spike anufactured into a trident, and his l15ody was sTneared with red ochre, to lrepresent scales, The other sailor Represented Amphitrite, having locks formed of swabs, petticoat of the same material, with gird1e of red bunting They were followed by about 1 twenty fellows naked to the waist. 1 with red ochre scales, as Tritpns. The lsinitiation's Of the Johnny Raws'
 was a severe one They were made to strip, and the twenty Tritons be came barbers, using pieces of rusty l hoop as razors. The bodies of the l victims were liberal1y soused with va rious lnsavory compounds. and the
 .sbarbers then applied their razors | llnrn ercifuIIy. If the Johnny Raw bore up gracefully and cheerfu11y un- der the ordeal, he escaped lightly but I if he sought to resist the lackless sailor was given a very close shave. I Tar and pitch were usually used as | sslaving soap" The practice Of shaving the '.rawsY has gone out 1 Of fashion. and the equatorial tribute to Neptune is less painful to the vic I tim.