The amusements incident on this occasion are not very tedious, and, though filthy in the extreme, cannot be witnessed without exciting much laughter. About noon, the boatswain, being full dressed as the god of the ocean, is supposed to hail the ship, enquiring whence she comes? whither she is bound? and if any persons are on board who never before crossed the great boundary dividing the northern from the southern hemisphere? After much pompous and authoritative elocution, wherein Neptune declares a firm resolution not to relinquish his rights, he ascends at the bow, under which his car is supposed to be in waiting, whence, attended by his mates, whose paraphernalia accord with the dignity of their office, and the solemnity of the occasion, he proceeds to the quarter-deck, where, after an appropriate speech, he exercises his powers of divination, and in a few minutes discovers the several novices who are to submit to his decrees. His god-head, like his progenitor of ancient times, invariably has an eye to business; and as the sea deity of the Greeks was supposed to delight in ample sacrifices, so does his descendant, or rather his representative, of our time, equally cherish the idea of copious libations in honor of the day. Hence, there is little difficulty in appeasing his wrath, and conciliating his good-will towards the vessel and her crew, by the immolation of from two to three gallons each, of good rum or gin; which, being duly tendered to the officiating priests, soon reach their destination, and avert the threatened danger.
While this is going on, some of the old hands are busied in the construction of a ship, which is to be launched in the presence of the deity, under whose auspices she is to sail the world over, and back again, in perfect safety! This important duty is conducted with great precision, and takes place in the lee-waist, where all the novices among the sailors, recruits, &c. are ranged in two rows, face to face, to represent the ribs of the stately Argo.
It is usual to select some of the more pliant, or silly, of the party, to form the head and bows: one of these being placed in the centre, looking forward, his head covered with a long swab, of which the threads hang down nearly to his heels, and his face being smeared with all the filth the ship affords, by way of paint, is considered the typical figure suited to the nomenclature of the vessel.
All being in readiness, the builders attend Neptune as he retires, in order to allow the shoars to be knocked away, that the launch may take place: the captain and his officers aid the farce by encouraging the passengers to advance towards the waist, there to view the construction; when, at a fit moment, the god roars forth his mandate for committing his protegé to the deep. It, however, unluckily happens that the vessel does not shew any disposition to quit the stocks; therefore, as she will not proceed to the water, the only chance of setting her afloat is by causing the water to proceed to her; which it accordingly does from some dozens of buckets, &c. previously secreted in the fore and main tops, and in the long boat, for that purpose. This drenching concludes the show, and the crew retire to make merry upon the amount of their collections, which, when not sufficiently abundant to afford a moderate allowance to each, is liberally augmented from the ship’s stores.
The sabbath is always observed on board every Indiaman with perfect decorum: there being no chaplain on board, unless perchance as a passenger, the captain, or one of the officers, reads the morning service, and eventually a short lecture suited to the audience, consisting of all on board who are not confined by illness. It is not easy to describe the decency which prevails on such occasions; the whole standing bare-headed on the quarterdeck, and refraining from every act, or look, that might trespass on propriety.
Many sailors, notwithstanding the character in which they are generally accepted, are of a very religious disposition, and are easily led by those who shew a reverence for the church establishment. Yet, like most persons bred up in ignorance, they are shamefully superstitious, and often entertain notions very little short of those which actuated their ancestors to throw Jonah overboard. However ridiculous it may appear, yet it is strictly true, that among hundreds of the bravest tars, one wag may, by whisperings, groanings, &c. aided by a white sheet, and a hollow intonation, create a most disgraceful panic. But our terrestrial population, of corresponding rank, can claim no title to laugh at their peers on the element. The sermon lately delivered and printed, by the Rev. Isaac Nicholson, A.M. Curate of Great Paxton, in the county of Huntingdon, in consequence of two attacks on the person of Ann Izzard, a reputed witch, whereby Alice Russel, who endeavored to protect that poor woman, was destroyed, evinces the deplorable state in which the minds of our lower orders remain, notwithstanding the great expence incurred for the propagation of the Scriptures among them, and the infinite pains taken to instruct those who cannot afford to pay for education.
Funerals at sea can rarely boast of much display, but their attendants are often sincere mourners. Confined within a narrow space, the loss of a companion is not easily forgotten; every object reminds us of his fate, and exacts a sigh! Few linger, either of disease, or of wounds, so long as persons under similar circumstances would do on shore. The want of room, of fresh air, of clean linen, of suitable diet, and of a change of scene, all contribute, notwithstanding the most assiduous attendance, to depress the spirits, and to aggravate the symptoms. Above all, the ravages of scurvy are peculiarly distressing, and tend most to dishearten: even those in perfect health become alarmed, and, from that circumstance alone, often participate in the dreadful evil.
It being utterly inadmissible that a corpse should be retained on board, no time is lost in sewing it up in a hammock; placing a few lumps of coal, or other ponderous matter, at the feet, to cause its sinking. Thus prepared, it is laid upon a grating at the lee gang-way; and, after the usual burial service, at which all attend, is committed to the deep. In some instances, during calms, sharks have been seen to dart from under the vessel, and to attack the corpse in the most ravenous manner. It is well known that all sickly ships are attended by many of those fishes; which, if numerous in the vicinity of a healthy vessel, are, in the opinions of the crew, the surest indications of great mortality on board. Without pretending to doubt the acuteness of a shark’s sense of smelling, it may be permitted us rather to ascribe their congregating to chance, than to their supposed powers of anticipation: at the same time there can be little doubt, that certain effluvia must escape from a vessel not duly purified by ventilation and ablution; and that such a neglect will rarely fail to induce diseases of the most malignant description; thereby giving a latitude, among those who view things superficially, to adduce instances apparently confirmative of their assertions.
Whatever convenience it may be thought to afford to the survivors, it appears to me, that the customary sale of all the effects of the deceased, indiscriminately in general, is contrary to the dictates of prudence, so far as relates to salubrity. That, in such a situation, whatever is appreciable may produce a better price, cannot be controverted; but I should rather incline to think it were better to forego that advantage, than to risk the dissemination of disease, though not previously malignant, by an unlimited distribution of the apparel of one demising under any clinical distemper. To say the least, perfect ventilation should be given to every atom; nor would the trouble or expence (if any) of fumigating the wearing apparel, and bed-clothes, be ill bestowed: perhaps baking would be found the safest precaution.
It has already been stated, that, in rounding the Cape, the weather may be expected to correspond with the season of the year: this is so well understood, that it is only during the summer season in that quarter, vessels are considered to be safe in Table Bay, situated to the north of a low, flat, sandy isthmus, over which it is evident the sea formerly flowed into False Bay, lying a few miles to the southward. The mouths of the two bays have different aspects; consequently, when a channel existed such as I have described, the Table Mountain, whence the northerly bay derives its designation, together with Cape Town, which stands between the mountain and that bay, together with Wineburg, Witti-boom, Constantia, &c. &c. including a length of about forty-five miles by four, on an average, in breadth, must have been insulated.