NEPTUNE AHOY!
Weird Nautical Doings on Crossing the Line--Officers, Sailors
and Newspaper Man Pass Traditional Initiation--Ocean Monarch and
His Gay Spouse Amphitrite Pick the Ship President Roosevelt Once
Sailed on for Their Visit--Rest of the Fleet Only Thought He Was
on Board--Court Physicians and Ducking Bears--Paternal Messages
From the Flagship--Sons of Admiral Evans and Capt. Osterhaus
Made Real Sailormen--A Great Sight.
_On Board U. S. S. Louisiana, U. S. Battle Fleet_,
RIO JANEIRO, Jan. 14.
Neptunus Rex! Long live the King!
Neptune, the only king who never dies, had the biggest job of his career
on Monday, January 6, in the year of our Lord 1908 and the year of 4,000
or 5,000 and something since Noah set up a sea calendar and headed for
Mount Ararat. More than 14,000 officers and men of the United States
Navy, practically one-half of its membership, crossed the equator at
longitude 37° 11' W., and of those fully 12,500 had to be initiated into
the "solemn mysteries of the Ancient Order of the Deep." Like the man
who tried the rheumatism cures, every one of the landlubbers, pollywogs
and sea lawyers was "done good."
It was the proudest day that Neptunus Rex ever experienced. He said so
himself, and he put on great airs and strutted about with the dignity
and pomp that befit his majestic rule as he declared that he was the
only king, by all the mermaids, sea serpents, whales, sharks, dolphins,
skates, eels, suckers, lobsters, crabs, pollywogs and jellyfish, who
could ever take possession of the United States Navy. And by the
selfsame creatures of the deep he swore solemnly that none but he and
Uncle Sam should ever have the right to boss that navy. Whereat the duly
initiated members of his royal domain cheered him lustily and declared
everlasting allegiance.
To get right down to business, let it be said at once that it was a
spectacle worth travelling tens of thousands of miles to see. It was the
most elaborate, painstaking, well planned, rip snorting initiation of
the kind ever produced. For be it known that Neptune does not recognize
as a thirty-third degree member of his domain any one who has not
crossed the line on a warship.
Neptune, not having the attribute of omnipresence, was able to visit
only one of the ships of this fleet. That ship was the Louisiana. Of
course, every other ship will make the claim that he visited that
vessel, but the fact is that he honored the Louisiana alone with his
personal presence and had to send representatives to the other ships. He
said he came to the Louisiana because he had heard she was the most
famous ship of the fleet, President Roosevelt having made a trip close
to his royal domain in her. He therefore selected her for his visit and
he ordered that a special honorary certificate of membership in his
realm be sent to the President and Mrs. Roosevelt.
The preparations for Neptune's visit began formally on December 19,
three days out from Hampton Roads, when "Fore Top, the Official
Representative of his Majesty Neptunus Rex," received a wireless message
to organize the members of the royal domain on the ship and prepare for
the initiation ceremonies. Thereafter every day while the ship was at
sea mysterious proclamations were posted at the scuttlebutt (the
drinking tank) telling the landlubbers, pollywogs and sea lawyers of the
terrible things that would happen to them when they crossed the line.
Dire penalties were provided for any who might try to hide, and long
extracts from the Revised Statutes were posted prescribing the
punishments to be inflicted upon the willing and the unwilling. There
was decided uneasiness among the youngsters on board--and it should be
remembered that most of the crew of the ship are just above or below 21,
having come almost green to the vessel from the training station at
Newport--when a proclamation was posted containing this notification to
Fore Top:
"There has been ordered supplied to you upon arrival at Port of Spain,
Trinidad, 750 gallons of coal tar, 90 gallons of varnish, 400 pounds of
sulphur, 4 sets of razors complete, 18 brushes, 4 sets of fine rib saws,
4 surgical knives, 2 large meat axes and 15 pairs of handcuffs."
Orders were also given for sharpening the claws and appetites of the
royal bears and warnings issued lest any one of the uninitiated should
speak disrespectfully of Neptune's subjects. A day or so later came
orders prescribing the height of the ducking chairs. These chairs were
to be so high that four flipflaps would be turned by the victims before
hitting the water in the royal tanks. Six powerful electrical batteries
were also ordered for use. The bears were not to have any food for
fifty-seven hours preceding the crossing of the line.
Other proclamations provided for towing recalcitrants in the sea from
the hawse pipes for from five minutes to four hours, according to the
degree of the offence of the victim.
Marvellous yarns were spun at all mess tables of the severity of the
initiation, all of which got on the nerves of the youngsters, and the
crew was in a state of semi-trepidation as the day of the crossing
approached. Then came a glimmer of fun, for one day there came a
"scuttlebuttic, telephonic, atmospheric" communication in which after
more warnings that there would be no escape this was said:
"I understand that there is a newspaper man on board, and if such is the
case you will report to me at once, as there is a special provision in
the Regulations of the Ceremonies of Initiation of the Royal Realm for
such animals."
Many were the grins among the crew that greeted the Sun man that day,
and some of them ventured respectfully to salute him and ask him if he
had seen the message and had noticed that orders were also issued "to
the royal doctors to have their pills and goggle water mixed in
accordance with the regulations and the barbers to use the proper per
cent. of coal tar, oil, molasses and india ink for their lather." The
next day Neptune ordered his subjects to "do stunts" with the newspaper
man. Printers' ink was to be used in his lather so as "to give him a
dose of his own medicine." A special oven was to be constructed to roast
him, and then he would know how it felt himself.
General Order No. 7 of Fore Top told the barbers to mix mucilage with
the printer's ink and to prepare the oven, and the officers and crew
were now in broad grins as they greeted the Sun man and informed him
that he was going to get his all right. Then came "brainstorms" from his
Majesty telling how the policemen were to act, ordering that their
"clubs be stuffed with grate bars" and such, and providing how the hair
should be clipped. Forthwith it was remarkable how dozens of men rushed
to to the ship's real barbers and had their hair clipped close.
"I ain't goin' to have none of that coal tar and grease in mine," said a
frightened signal boy. A windsail was made to supply air to the
officers' quarters, and the messenger boy of the executive officer came
to him and asked him if it was true that the members of the crew were to
be shot down that canvas tube.
So the proclamations grew in number and with them increased the power of
the yarns. The royal electrician was ordered to test the batteries and
the royal boatswain was told to prepare his towlines and co-operate with
the royal diver to see that the towing was done properly, and finally
came the last message from Neptune on the day before the line was
reached. It approved all that had been done. Old Nep. howled with joy
because the bears were hungry, the knives and razors were sharpened, the
lather had been mixed just right, the electric batteries were sizzling,
the drop into the tanks had been put up to thirty-eight feet, and he
wound up with this sentiment:
"God help the poor rookies!"
[Illustration: _Courtesy of Collier's Weekly_
Neptune Ahoy!]
Whereupon Fore Top issued this final order:
GENERAL ORDER NO. 23.
All loyal subjects will at once make their final reports to me
in detail. Report to me the names of the pollywogs, landlubbers
and sea lawyers whose names have been entered on the books for
severe punishment.
Good-by and good luck to the poor rookies who will come under
your notice to-morrow! Deal in a befitting manner with them
all. See to it especially that the newspaper man gets his.
FORE TOP, O R. O. H. M. G. M. N. R. R. R. D.
The names of about a dozen well known sea lawyers of the ship were
posted immediately upon the scuttlebutt and the newspaper man "got his"
later.
That afternoon Capt. Wainwright and his executive officer, Mr. Eberle,
being sticklers for the preservation of as many of the old time naval
and sea traditions in modern warships as possible, took official notice
of what was going on and this order was published to the ship:
U. S. S. LOUISIANA,
AT SEA, LAT. 1'-30' N., LONG. 39-10 W.,
January 5, 1908.
ORDER.
1. Official notification has been received that his Majesty,
Neptunus Rex, will visit this ship in state at 9 a.m. on the
6th day of January, 1908.
2. His Majesty will be received with due ceremony at the time
appointed. At 8:45 a. m. the divisions will be called to
quarters, after which "all hands will be called to muster" to
receive his Majesty in a manner befitting his high rank. The
boatswain and eight boys will attend the side. When his Majesty
reaches the quarterdeck the officers and crew will salute, the
band will play a march and the Royal Standard of Neptune will
be hoisted at the main.
3. After the official reception the royal ceremonies of
initiation will begin.
4. All ceremonies will be conducted in an orderly manner, in
keeping with the time honored traditions of the Naval Service.
E. W. EBERLE,
Lieutenant-Commander, U. S. Navy,
Executive Officer.
Approved:
R. WAINWRIGHT,
Captain U. S. Navy,
Commanding.
At a general muster of the crew that Sunday morning each man who
had not crossed the line--and a complete list had been prepared of
them--received this subpoena as he was dismissed from the deck:
YOU LANDLUBBER, POLLYWOG AND SEA LAWYER: You are hereby notified
that the good ship Louisiana, on which you are serving, will
to-morrow enter the domain of which I am the ruler. As no
landlubber, pollywog or sea lawyer can enter my domain or become
one of my royal subjects unless he undergoes the initiation as
prescribed by me, you will when the ceremonies commence present
yourself for the initiation, and if you show that you are worthy
you will become a member of my royal realm and be subject to my
orders in all seas on which you may be.
If you do not present yourself for this initiation and I am
required to despatch members of my staff to bring you before me
by force I will deal severely with you.
His Majesty,
NEPTUNE REX,
Ruler of the Royal Domain.
Of the 960 odd persons on the Louisiana only about 100 had ever crossed
the line. The proportion was about the same on all the other ships of
the fleet, so it is a fair estimate that 12,500 men were waiting the
arrival of Neptune. A wireless message was sent to the Louisiana that
his Majesty's secretary and orderly would come on board on the evening
of January 5 to make the final preparations for the ruler's visit the
next morning. The call for hammocks was sounded about 7:30 o'clock that
evening and while the men were aft the officer of the deck, Ensign N. W.
Post heard a pistol shot across the bows of the ship followed by:
"Ship ahoy!"
"Aye, aye, sir," said the officer of the deck, giving the accepted
greeting for an officer.
"What ship is that? Where are you from and whither are you bound?" came
the voice.
"The U. S. S. Louisiana, from Hampton Roads, bound through the domains
of his Majesty Neptune Rex for the Pacific Ocean," shouted Post through
a megaphone.
"Heave to; I want to come aboard!"
"Aye, aye, sir. Come aboard."
Thereupon the ship was hove to theoretically and two men in fantastic
dress popped over the starboard bow and made their way aft. Mr. Eberle,
the executive officer, had been notified that Neptune's secretary, Main
Top Bowline, was on board, and went forward to receive him.
Capt. Wainwright was notified and appeared on the quarter deck. Soon,
with the bugles sounding attention, Main Top Bowline and his orderly
emerged through the superstructure with Mr. Eberle. The secretary and
assistant were in full dress, their swallowtails of bright red chintz
accentuated by enormous negro minstrel collars and by ties of pink that
flowed out to their shoulders. They carried full dress cocked hats of
navy regulation pattern. Their faces were Indian red with various
splashes of paint that suggested mermaids and sea serpents. Main Top
Bowline had a pair of binoculars made from black beer bottles which
were capped by the rubber pieces that fit the eyes on the sighting
apparatus of the guns.
Mr. Eberle presented the secretary to the captain, while the officers
and dozens of the crew gathered around. The secretary said that Neptune
would come aboard at 9 A. M. the next day and would be prepared to take
possession of the ship and exercise due authority. He complimented the
captain on the appearance of his "fine ship," said that Neptune would
visit the Louisiana only because it had once carried his "distinguished
colleague, the President," and he expressed the hope that the captain
and the crew would extend the proper honors. Capt. Wainwright
straightened himself to his full height and said:
"Mr. Secretary, Main Top Bowline: It gives me great pleasure to welcome
you to this ship and to receive the notification of the contemplated
visit to-morrow of his Majesty Neptunus Rex. I beg of you to convey to
him the expression of my highest esteem and to say to him that we shall
pay him the distinguished honors that belong to his rank, and shall obey
gladly all his august commands. If you will now proceed with me to my
cabin we will discuss there the details of the ceremony."
Then the captain and the visitors disappeared down the captain's gangway
and a bottle of champagne was opened and the health of Neptune toasted.
The captain told Main Top Bowline that he had been a member of Neptune's
domain for thirty-eight years but had not met Main Top Bowline before.
Main Top said he had been in his Majesty's service only fifteen years.
Full particulars of Mr. Roosevelt's trip on the Louisiana were requested
to be reported to Neptune and then the secretary left and called on the
wardroom. He served subpoenas himself on the officers and asked
especially for the newspaper man. He said that Neptune had been
misrepresented so often in print and that it was so seldom that he ever
found a reporter on a real ship of the line that he was bound to tell
the newspaper man to be prepared for the worst. Then the visitors were
escorted forward and they disappeared, after ordering this message sent
to Admiral Evans:
_The Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet._
By virtue of the authority invested in me by his Majesty,
Neptunus Rex, ruler of the Royal Domain, I have to inform you
that I have this night boarded the good ship Louisiana for the
purpose of informing the commanding officer that he has entered
the domain ruled by his Majesty and that he has a cargo of
landlubbers, pollywogs and sea lawyers on board whom it will be
necessary to initiate into the royal realm before he can pass
through, and as such his Most Gracious Majesty will to-morrow
morning board the good ship Louisiana and carry out the
ceremonies as prescribed by the regulations of the royal realm.
His Majesty wishes me to convey his compliments to you and to
state that he is pleased to have you with him once more in his
royal domain, although it has been some time since he has been
able to greet you personally.
MAIN TOP BOWLINE,
Secretary of His Most Gracious Majesty,
NEPTUNE REX,
Ruler of the Royal Domain.
Admiral Evans signalled back his thanks for the greeting, sent his
compliments to Neptune and expressed the hope that Neptune and his party
would have a "royal good time on the Louisiana."
The next morning everybody was up bright and early. Word was sent
throughout the ship to wear no arms at quarters. Every man put on
his cleanest uniform. Quarters was sounded and the men assembled
at their usual stations. The officers emerged one by, one from the
superstructure and reported to the executive officer that their
divisions were all present or accounted for. Then came the bugle for
general muster on the quarter deck. All hands were marched aft and the
officers took their proper stations with a large space vacant about the
captain and a passageway from the superstructure. Miss Sally Ann, the
Trinidad monkey, was allowed to come along to see the fun. She perched
on one of the 12-inch guns and flirted her tail about like an angry cat.
A wait of several minutes followed after Mr. Eberle had gone forward to
receive Neptune. This was due, it was reported afterward unofficially,
to getting Amphitrite, Neptune's wife, up the gangways with all her
toggery in good condition. Not being used to skirts, it was quite a job.
At the entrance to the deck eight side boys and the boatswain's mates
were stationed.
Suddenly a great blast from the bugles announced the approach. Then the
shrill boatswains' whistles smote the ears and Sally Ann set up an awful
screeching. The word "Salute!" rang out and every man stood at attention
while Neptune and his wife preceded by two pages stepped on the quarter
deck. At that moment a monster red flag, eighteen feet by twelve, with a
white sea serpent on it that would have made any Chinese dragon run to
cover, was raised to the main, the band struck up Neptune's march and
his Majesty and consort and their court of fifty-two persons in stately
step trod the deck to greet Capt. Wainwright. Neptune swung his trident
proudly, and as he came to a full stop he said:
"Sir:--I have come to-day to your ship to exercise the full command
that pertains to the rule of my domain. I have come to initiate the
landlubbers and pollywogs on this vessel. You will relinquish command to
me and I expect that full honors will be paid to my rank. I am honoring
this ship of the fleet especially because my distinguished friend and
colleague, the President of the country from which you come, once used
this ship on a near approach to my dominions. I am informed that he
would be here to-day in person if the cares of State did not prevent. I
am told he is here in spirit. I shall order, therefore, a special
honorary certificate of membership for him. [Aside, "Can't some of you
keep that damned monkey from screeching so much?"] I shall now proceed
to your cabin, after which the ceremonies of the royal initiations will
proceed."
Capt. Wainwright bowed profoundly and the irreverent in the crew set up
a howl of laughter as they saw the makeup of Neptune and his party.
Neptune and Amphitrite and the two pages went below with the Captain.
The others remained on deck. There were the two secretaries that had
come aboard the night before and next to them were two royal doctors, in
long swallowtails and with tall hats that looked like the headgear of
Corean high priests, only there were skulls and crossbones on them for
ornament. The doctors carried dress suit cases. One was labelled "Dr.
Flip" and the other "Dr. Flap." The cases contained the surgical
instruments and medicines. Then came the royal counsellors with enormous
law books. The lawyers wore the wigs of English practitioners and long
black robes. Two "high cops," in chintz, followed and then there was a
large squad of policemen each with a badge numbered 23, with stuffed
clubs, followed by the barbers, a dozen black bears and a lot of
retainers.
Neptune himself wore a scarlet robe with sea serpents embroidered on it
and with a golden hemp fringe all around the edges. His face and legs
and arms were stained a beautiful mahogany color. A great beard of
yellow rope hung down over his fat belly. Amphitrite was in white. She
wore a sea green flat hat and carried a black cat done up in baby's
clothes. That cat stayed with her for two hours without moving.
"My!" said one of the ordinary seamen who had cruised many a time along
the Bowery, "don't she look just as if she came straight from the Bowery
and Hester street? How are ye, Amph?"
A clout on the head by a mate made him "shorten his chin sail."
Before Neptune reappeared Dr. Flip went up to Dr. Wentworth, the ship's
surgeon, to pay his professional respects. Dr. Flip said he was of the
old school and a graduate of the "Royal College of the Doldrums, class
of Umpdy-umpdy-ump-ump." He was strong, he said, on the use of leeches
and bleeding. Dr. Wentworth tactfully admitted that the old school had
its merits.
Then came Neptune on deck again and the party, followed by 800 officers
and men, went to the fo'c'sle deck for the initiation. Neptune mounted
his throne on a platform. Two tanks had been erected between that and
the forward turret. The bears slipped over the sides as the retainers
filled the tanks with water. Drs. Flip and Flap unloaded their saws,
knives, teeth extractors and many bottles of vile looking medicine. The
lawyers opened their books to certain paragraphs of the "Revised
Statutes," chiefly paragraph 4-11-44; the barbers sharpened their
enormous razors, "made in Yarmany"; the policemen drew up in line, the
orderlies rolled up the barrel of lather, made of oatmeal and water, and
another barrel of "tonic," to be used in enormous squirt guns. It was
Neptune's "dope" for the unruly. Then Neptune, with a flourish of his
trident and settling his gilt crown well back on his head, as Amphitrite
nestled to his side, asked if all preparations had been completed.
"Yes, your Majesty," replied Main Top Bowline.
"Then let the initiations proceed. Bring forward as the first victim
that newspaper man. He shall have special attention," was the command.
The Sun man mounted the steps to the howls of 800 persons. Dr. Flip
sounded his lungs, examined his teeth, felt his arms and legs, made him
wiggle his fingers and then said:
"Your Majesty, a very bad case. 'E's got a ingrowin' brain!"
"What do you prescribe?"
"Well, your Majesty, we have here medicines for the cure of spavin, sore
throat, consumption, chilblains, diphtheria, eczema, measles, neuralgia,
heartburn--"
"Never mind the rest," said the King. "What is the treatment?"
"The same for all, sire," was the response. "A good shave, an injection
in the arm of my 'dope' [composed of molasses and water] some powder on
his head and a ducking in the briny seas."
"Very good!" replied his Majesty.
Then the trouble began. A pill as big as a horse chestnut and made of
bread crusts was forced down the victim's throat. The squirt gun hit him
full in the face, a lotion was rubbed in his hair and then he was forced
into the chair and shaved. A question was asked of him, and as he opened
his mouth to reply a great paint brush of lather was thrust into it.
Then came the order to pull out the plug from the chair and drop him
over backwards into the tank. Well, that flight and that ducking! Here
descriptive powers fail the Sun's correspondent. It can be described
best in the words of Herman Melville, in his story of "White Jacket,"
relating to a cruise he made in 1843 around the horn in the United
States frigate, United States, when he went into the water in another
way.
"Time seemed to stand still and all the worlds poised on their poles as
I fell. I was conscious at length of a swift flinging motion of my
limbs. A thunder-boom sounded in my ears. My soul seemed flying from my
mouth. Some current seemed hurrying me away. In a trance I yielded and
sank down deeper with a glide. Purple and pathless was the deep calm now
around me, flecked by summer lightnings in an azure afar.
"Then an agonizing revulsion came over me as I felt myself sinking. Next
moment the force of my fall was expended and there I hung vibrating in
the deep. What wild sounds then rang in my ear? One was a soft moaning,
as of low waves on the beach, the other wild and heartlessly jubilant,
as of the sea in the height of a tempest. The life and death poise soon
passed, and then I felt myself slowly ascending and caught a dim
glimmering of light. Quicker and quicker I mounted, till at last I
bounded up like a buoy and my whole head was bathed in the blessed air."
That was just as it was and when the Sun man escaped from the tank he
was greeted with more applause and cheering than he had ever received in
his life.
The first initiation on the Louisiana was over. Then came a roll call of
the officers. They had to produce certificates or pay tribute. The crew
was assembled in long lines. One by one they went up the ladders. Drs.
Flip and Flap received them. Elaborate examinations were made of their
condition.
"My, my, sire!" Dr. Flip would shout. "'E's got valvular contraction of
the eyelids!"
"What is the remedy?" Neptune would ask.
"My usual treatment, sire," would be the response.
Then would come a dose of dope, a rub of hair oil, a shave and a toss
over into the tank to the hungry bears. Souse, souse, souse again would
follow, and when the victim came to the surface each time he would send
up a stream of water from his mouth that resembled the spouting of a
whale. Those who were waiting for their duckings would shout with the
members of Neptune's party. Officers crowded to the front of the bridge
and the midshipman who was using the stadimeter to get the proper
distance in formation had the hardest day of his life trying to keep his
eye on the flagship.
"Pass 'em up quick!" shouted Neptune.
Dr. Flip would diagnose a case as "Fatty degeneration of the shinbone,
sire," and the usual remedy would be prescribed. Over the victim went
into the tank. Dr. Flip would then announce a case:
"Palpitation of the hair, sire. You can see for yourself how it is
shaking."
"Let him have the prescribed treatment," was the order.
Dr. Flip then announced a case of "folderols in the right ear, sire."
"Soak it to him good!" was the command.
Dr. Flip then had a case of "tickdullerous." Similar treatment. All
diseases looked alike to Neptune.
"Bunions!" was the next report of Dr. Flip.
"Poultice his hair good. It draws 'em up. Then saw off his leg at the
knee," was the remedy prescribed for the bunion ailment. Dr. Flip
brought out the saws with vile looking teeth. The two doctors sawed
away.
"By cracky! sire, I can't cut it off," reported Dr. Flip.
"Give him an extra dousing!" ordered his Majesty.
Dr. Flip next reported a case of toothache.
"What do the Revised Statutes say?" asked Neptune.
"Beg pardon," said Dr. Flip, "that is in the pharmacopoeia."
"Well, what does the farm--whatever it is--say?" roared Neptune.
"Gargle, sire," said Dr. Flip; "the fumes kill the pain." The victim got
the gargle treatment.
"Mullygrubs in his back, sire," was the next from Dr. Flip. A lambasting
with stuffed clubs was the extra treatment for that, in addition to the
ducking.
Then came a strange case, that of a youngster who spends his spare time
on board studying mathematics in the hope of getting higher in the
service. Dr. Flip went over him with great care. He got out bottles and
pills and saws and bandages and plasters. The crowd could see that it
was a most serious case.
Dr. Flap was called in consultation. The books were produced and the
symptoms were pondered over with many grave shakes of the head. At last
Dr. Flip made the right diagnosis.
"'E's got the hypotenuse rampant," he shouted. "My, my! I am astonished
that a surgeon of the established reputation of Dr. Wentworth of the
United States Navy, sire, should let all these ailments that we have
here to-day escape 'im, sire," shouted Dr. Flip.
"Send for Dr. Wentworth!" roared Neptune. Dr. Wentworth came. He told
Neptune that he had been a royal subject of his for more than twenty
years. Nep softened a bit at that, and then said he was glad to see him
again, but how about these strange ailments? Why had he not cured them?
Dr. Wentworth is a man of tact, great tact, and he explained that the
ailments occurred nowhere else than in Neptune's domain and, therefore,
he thought it was best to have them treated by Neptune's own specialists
who were familiar with the newest developments and the best treatment.
While the initiations were going on Neptune ordered this message
semaphored to Admiral Evans, the Commander in Chief:
_Admiral R. D. Evans, U. S. Atlantic Fleet._
I am happy to inform you that your son and the son of the
captain of your noble flagship have this day declared their
allegiance as my loyal subjects.
NEPTUNE REX.
Lieuts. F. T. Evans and H. W. Osterhaus are attached to the Louisiana
and occasionally they have to take a good deal of chaffing and no favors
when an "unofficial message" from "father" comes over the signals. This
was the reply that Neptune received from the flagship:
_Neptune Rex:_
We are delighted that our sons are at last real sailors. They
have served a long time. Soak 'em, boys!
EVANS and OSTERHAUS.
Young Evans and young Osterhaus were soaked all right.
The initiation ceremonies were kept boiling all the time. Occasionally a
sea lawyer, one with an established reputation as such among the crew,
would come up. He was asked if he wanted to argue his case. Not one of
them did.
"Give it to him good," Neptune would shout. And they did. The rest of
the crew understood the significance of the extra ducking and howls of
glee resulted. The sea lawyers usually had to be helped out of the tank.
Now and then a man would lose his temper when he got into the tank.
Small mercy for him! He would drag a bear under the water with him.
Forthwith half a dozen bears would go to the rescue of their companion,
and in the rescue that man who had dragged the bear under would think he
was going to kingdom come before he got a breath of air. Oh, it didn't
pay to be fresh in that salt water!
The ceremonies were half over when there came the unforeseen. A victim
came up with a peculiar glitter in his eye. Dr. Flip saw it and
diagnosed the case as "extremis mortuis of the right optic." The
diagnosis was correct, for, catching Dr. Flip in a favorable position,
the victim toppled Dr. Flip over into the tank himself.
"Flip is taking a flap!" shouted the crowd. The bears fell on Dr. Flip,
thinking he was a new arrival, and he got such a sousing as few who
preceded him had received. He lost his glasses, but when he clambered
back upon the platform he called out: "Next case!" as if nothing unusual
had happened.
Long before the initiation was over the policemen had roused the
excitement of Sally Ann, who was perched in the rigging over the bridge,
watching the strange performance, as they ran about the ship chasing
culprits who tried to escape. Each succeeding arrest stirred her up more
and more, and she shrieked out her grief in unearthly yells. One of the
bluejackets had to gather her in his arms and stroke her head and talk
soothingly to her before she would be comforted.
Another thing that pleased Neptune and the bluejackets was the
appearance of an enormous gull, a "goney bird," they called it, that
hovered over the initiation ceremonies for more than an hour, turning
and twisting its head and giving out strange calls. Where the bird came
from no one saw. The ship was 300 miles out to sea. No other bird of the
kind was in sight. It was the sailor's omen of good luck. When the bird
alighted in the rigging a cheer went up. That sealed the matter of good
luck and then the bird flew off to the other ships and watched the
ceremonies there.
So hour after hour the initiation went on until the last man had been
rounded up and Neptune pronounced the day's work well done. He sent
this signal to Admiral Evans:
_The Commander-in-Chief, U. S. Atlantic Fleet._
I have to inform the Commander-in-Chief that I have completed
the ceremonies on board the good ship Louisiana, will haul down
my standard and take my departure. The Commander-in-Chief will
accept my best wishes for himself, officers and men of the
United States Atlantic fleet for a most pleasant voyage, and
may all the royal subjects meet again.
NEPTUNUS REX,
Ruler of the Royal Domain.
Neptune then retreated into the fo'c'sle for refreshment and remained
there until darkness came. Then a barrel filled with oakum and oil and
tar was set on fire and put afloat. It sailed away in the night. It was
"Neptune's boat," and he was going back to his royal domains.
After he had gone certificates duly signed and embellished with mermaids
and sea urchins and starfish and ropes, with an octopus for a background
and a picture of Neptune rising from the sea at the top and with the
ship's seal affixed to bits of red, white and blue ribbon, were
presented to all hands. Never again will a man who can show one of them
have to take a dousing and barbering with suitable medical treatment on
crossing the line.
The certificates read:
DOMAIN OF NEPTUNUS REX,
RULER OF THE RAGING MAIN.
_To all Sailors, wherever ye may be, and to all Mermaids, Sea
Serpents, Whales, Sharks, Porpoises, Dolphins, Skates, Eels,
Suckers, Lobsters, Crabs, Pollywogs and other living things of
the sea._
GREETING: Know ye that on this 6th day of January, 1908, in
latitude 00,000 and longitude 37°, 11', W., there appeared
within the limits of Our Royal Domain the U. S. S. Louisiana,
bound southward for the Straits of Magellan and Pacific ports.
BE IT REMEMBERED
That the Vessel and Officers and Crew thereof have been
inspected and passed on by Ourself and Our Royal Staff.
AND BE IT KNOWN: By all ye Sailors, Marines, Landlubbers and
others who may be honored by his Presence that
JOHN DOE
having been found worthy to be numbered as one of OUR TRUSTY
SHELLBACKS, has been gathered to our fold and duly initiated
into the
SOLEMN MYSTERIES OF THE ANCIENT ORDER OF THE DEEP.
BE IT FURTHER UNDERSTOOD: That by virtue of the power invested
in me I do hereby command all my subjects to show due honor and
respect to him whenever he may enter Our Realm.
DISOBEY THIS ORDER UNDER PENALTY OF OUR ROYAL DISPLEASURE.
Given under our hand and seal this sixth day of January, 1908.
NEPTUNUS REX.
DAVY JONES,
His Majesty's Scribe.
[Seal of the Louisiana.]
[Illustration: Neptune's Initiation on the Louisiana's Fo'c'sle]