Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-16
ODD SUPERSTITIONS |
HELD BY SAILORS.
Think AIbatross Are Reinoar-
mated Souls and Storms Are
Caused by "Jonahs."

Why does a seafearing man-cap-
tain, cook or cabin boy-consider 1t
unlucky to ship with a man who
neglected to pay his laundry bill?
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
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 a 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 superstitlous perhaps as the
old-timer who went long voyages In
sailing vessels. but even the advent
of the four-day transatlantic liner
skyscraping steamship and floating
hotels which travel from port to port
on schedule time in defiance of I'M
favorable weather conditions-has
not quite deprived the sailor of his
reputation for superstitiousness.
Some day he may become as mat
ter-of-fact as an underground rail-
way 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
it 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 apparently to be har-
bingers of bad weather, and -espe-
cialiy fog. 1t is quite usual on board
shin to find members of the crew
nicknamed "Foggy jones'" Heavy
Weather Bill or "Squally Jack.
Cats on board ship are considered
Lucky, and many stray ore hnds
comfortable home and careful atten-
tion with Jack for the friend al
though, on the other hand, our do
nestle friend has at times been held
responsible for the continuance OF
very bad weather and had to play
the part of Jonah to the fuii ex-
tent.
Perhaps the most amusing super
stition of the sailor is in considering
it & crime for any member of the
crew to leave port with his washing
bill unpaid. as this neglect Is general
ly believed to be the cause of bad
weather being encountered just after
leaving 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 q lengthy voyage old
clothes and shoes unfit for further
wear are collected and thrown over
board with much ceremony and falth
/ as to the ultimate beneficial results
which will carry the ship swiftly and
safely into harbor.
| One of the most curious superstl-
| 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 a cap
| ture to be hailed with much reJolc-
ing. All hands, from the captain TO
the cabin boy, take a keen interest
in the operations, and, having sue
cessfullv landed the shark on deck
a proceeding that causes no little eX-
citement-it is killed and its tail cut
off. This trophy is then nailed either
on the end of the bowsprit or the Jlp-
boom and is considered valuable
charm. capable of having the power
to bring the ship fair winds and nnest
of weather. 1t is not uncommon 10
see sailing ships lying in port with
; etn OT l.
perstition, but the custom is fast dy-
ing out with the advent of the steam
shin. where the capture of shark at
sea is a very rare occurrence.
Another remarkable and weird be-
lief is that connected with the albat'
ross. These huge birds, measuring
| fourteen to eighteen feet from tip 70
fin of their wings, are only to De
| seen in the stormy regions OF the
| Capes of Good Hope and Horn and
| the surrounding ATTITUDES. They 1ol'
| low ships for a week at time Inc
| peculiar belief of old sailors credi'
! these birds with possessing the SOUS
of ancient mariners. who for their
nnisdeeds have been doomed TO SCOUT
| these stormy regions for eternity.
During Gains these birds are easil!
capt,lred by a contrivance of tn
sailors own invention, which. beint
baited, attaches itself to the hooked
! hill on the albatross attempting u
procure the bait, and the bird Is thel
hauled on board Few captains o
| ships will allow these birds to D
killed by the crew on account OF tn
belief that the killing would be Ger
tain of bringing disastrous results.
The killing of pig at sea is al
WAYS an occasion of much impor
lance, not only for the reason tina
fresh meat is to be enjoyed-a grea
luxury on a sailing ship after perhap
months of salt PROFESSIONALISM ais
because what is termed "pi
breeze" or favorable wind may b
looked upon as q certainty. Pig
when kept in sailing ships are ofte
let out of their pens, and their move
ments. which are believed to forete
the state of the wind to be expected
are watched with keen interest.
Should a pig show signs of lazinet
and merely lie down or wandt
slowly about the decks, this is cor
sidered q sign of calm weather. wit
little or no wind In prospect, but an
, freshness and a great amount {
} soueaIing is hailed as a sure sign {
a