Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-08-31
S[PERSIITIONSOF
THE SAILOR ARE
MANY ANDODD

/ Why does a SeafaFlng man-cap-
tain, cook or cabin boy-consider 1t
unlucky to ship with a man who neg
lected to pay his laundry bill?
Why does sailor nearing port af-
! ter a lengthy voyage gather mp old
clothes and shoes unfit for further
| use, and tremendously commit them
| to the deep? ...@.@
Why does he like to sail on a ship
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 a pig as weather
prophet. ...... ~
The simplest answer to these ques-
lions is-because the average sailor
is superstitious, says the st. Louis
Globe Democrat He may not be quite
as superstitious perhaps as the old
timer who went long voyages in sail
ing vessels, but even the advent of
the four-day transatlantic liner-sky-
scraping steamship and floating ho-
tells which travel from port to port on
schedule time in defiance of unfavor.
able weather conditions not
quite deprived the sailor of his repu-
tation for supersititousness.
Some day he may become as mat
ter-offact as an underground railway
guard, but there still fingers round
him enough of the romance and mys-
terry of the sea to make an interesting
study of him and his odd beliefs.
During very rough weather at sea 1t
would be 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 superstitious in this respect that
it is not uncommon for them to take
intense dislike to officers who have
happened to be harbingers of bad
weather, and especially fog. 1t is
quite usual on board ship to find mem
bers of the crew nick-named "Foggy
Jones' Heavy Weather BILL" or
"Squally Jack"
Cats Considered Lucky.
Cats on board ship are considered
lucky, and many stray one finds q
comfortable home and careful atten-
ton with Jack for its friend, although
on the other hand, our domestic friend
has at times been held responsible
for the continuance of very bad wealth
er and had to play the part of Jonah
to the full extent.
. Perhaps the most amusing super
stition of the sailor is in considering
1t crime 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 wealth
er being encountered just after leay-
ing port
The ways of invoking the gods of
the elements to bestow fair weather
and winds are numerous. Among the
best known is that when nearing port
after lengthy voyage, old clothes
and shoes unfit for further wear are
collected and thrown overheard with
much ceremony and faith as to the I'll.
innate beneficial results which will
carry the ship swiftly and safely into
harbor
One of the most curious supersti
tons is that dealing with the capture
of a shark The natural dread and
antipathy with which these monsters
of the deep are viewed causes cap.
ture to be hailed 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 proceed
ing that causes no little excitement
it is killed and its tail cut off. This
trophy is then nailed on the end of
the bowsprit or jibboom and is consid- |
cred valuable charm, capable of hay-I
ing the power to bring the ship fair |
winds and finest of weather. 1t Is |
not uncommon to see sailing ships |
lying in port with this peculiar sign |
of the sailors superstition, but the |
custom is fast dying out with advent |
Of the steamship, where the capture OF
a shark at sea is very rare occur.
renee.
Another Weird Belief.
Another remarkable and weird be-
lief is that connected with the alba
trcss The huge birds, measuring IA
to is feet from tip to tip of their
wings. are only to be seen in the stor- /
my regions of the Capes Of Good Hope
and Horn and the surrounding lati-
tudes. They follow ships for week
at time The peculiar belief of old
sailors credit these birds with posses
sing the souls OF ancient mariners,
who for their misdeeds have BEEN
doomed to scour these stormy regions
for eternity.
During Gains these birds are easily
captured by continuance of the sail
ors own invention, which. being bait.
ed, attaches itself to; the hooked bill
on the albatrcss attempting to procure
the bait. and the bird is then hauled
on board Few captain Of ships will
allow these birds to be killed by the
crew on account of the belief thai the
killing would be certain OF bringing
results. ~.
The killing of pig al sea is always
an occasion of much Importance. not
only for the reason that fresh meat is
to be enjoyed--a great luxury on a
sailing ship after perhaps months of
salt provisions also because
What IL fpruod q mig hrnozo'' rfr IA