Crossing the Line

[Mad Matt]

So. I am aware of U.S. Naval history that has a ceremony for crossing the Equator, the International Date Line and the Greenwich Meridian.

I assume that if it is Naval tradition, that other cultures must have something similar. Is there anything written detailing the history of this horseplay and that may give us a date how far back it goes?

[CrazyCholeBlack]

Care to enlighten those of us who don't know what they are?

[Mad Matt]

Only fer you, luv!

Here's a link to Wikipedia. This will be easier than typing or cutting and pasting everything here, okay?

Wikipedia Line Crossing

[DocF225]

The "Shellback" Ceremony for crossing the Equator is probably the most famous of the US Navy rites.

It is a daylong ritual wherein the "Wogs" (pollywogs) are ritually cleansed of their "slime" and, upon paying appropriate homage to King Neptune, are issued their "Shells". Basically the ship all but shuts down for the day and all manner of "degredation and torture" are layed upon the Wogs.

I hear it's been toned down considerably since my ceremony and mine was apparently way easier than me Dad's .

Each Ship has it's own traditions as does each Rating. It ranges from crawling through the garbage chutes to eating various nasty foods (limberger cheese still makes me vomit), to having to stand a "watch" in some ridiculous manner. Dad tells me he had to stand for an hour holding a bed spring over his head while swinging back and forth saying "beep, beep, I am a radar". (He was a Radarman.) For Corpsmen like me, we had bed pan races and the like.

After the rite is done you can proudly call yourself a Shellback and display the certificate. Some commands have special patches made for non duty wear.

[Edward T. Porter]

I´m not really into this theme but read something about that you can wear special kind of earrings or so for crossing the equatorline...?

[Fox]

Snipped from earlier threads:

In Teonge's diary (1670s) the celebration of entering the Straits of Gibraltar is the ducking of anyone who has not previously done so, or the payment of a fine in lieu. The collected fines are then spent on drink for the company at the next opportunity.

"Here I shall not omit to mention the ceremony which at this passage, and some other places, is used by the mariners, and by them is called Baptism, although it may seem either little to our purpose or of no use. The Master's Mate clothed himself with a ridiculous sort of garment that reached to his feet, and on his head he put a suitable cap, which was made burlesque. In his right hand he placed a naked wooden sword, and in his left a pot full of ink. His face was horribly blacked with soot, and his neck adorned with a collar of many little pieces of wood. Being thus

apparelled, he commanded to be called before him every one of them who never had passed that dangerous place before. And then causing them to kneel down in his presence, he made the sign of the Cross upon their foreheads with ink, and gave each one a stroke on the shoulders with his wooden sword. Meanwhile the standers-by cast a bucket of water upon every man's head; and this was the conclusion of the ceremony. But, that being ended, every one of the baptized is obliged to give a bottle of brandy for his offering, placing it near the main mast, and without speaking a word; even those who have no such liquor being not excused from this performance. In case the vessel never passed that way before, the Captain is obliged to distribute some wine among the mariners and other people in the ship.

But as for other gifts which the newly baptized frequently offer, they are divided among the old seamen, and of them they make a banquet among themselves."

Esquemeling's Buccaneers of America

"Sept. 25. This day, according to custom, we duck'd those that had never pass'd the Tropick before. The manner of doing it was by a Rope thro a block from the Main-Yard, to hoist `em above half way up to the Yard, and let `em fall at once into the Water; having a Stick cross thro their Legs, and well fastened to the Rope, that they might not be surpriz'd and let go their hold. This prov'd of great use to our fresh-water Sailors, to recover the Colour of their Skins, which were grown very black and nasty. Those that we duck'd after this manner three times, were about 60, and others that would not undergo it, chose to pay half a Crown Fine; the Money to be levy'd and spent at a publick Meeting of all the Ships Companys, when we return to England. The Dutch Men, and some English Men, desir'd to be duck'd, some six, others eight, ten, or twelve times, to have the better Title for being treated when they come home."

Woodes Rogers; A Cruising Voyage Round the World

"ARTHUR; KING ARTHUR. A game used at sea, when near the line, or in hot latitude. It is performed thus: A man who is to represent king Arther, ridiculously dressed, having a large wig made out of oakum, or some old swabs, is seated on the side, or over a large vessel of water. Every person in his turn is to be ceremoniously introduced to him, and to pour a bucket of water over him, crying, hail, king Arthur! if during this ceremony the person introduced laughs or smiles (to which his majesty endeavours to excite him, by all sorts of ridiculous gesticulations), he changes places with, and then becomes, king Arthur, till relieved by some brother tar, who has as little command over his muscles as himself."

Captain Grose's Dictionary, 1785

So, it's not just the equator - any excuse to embarrass the newbies and have a party!

[Capn_Enigma]

For completeness' sake, I'd add the following to the Esquemelin text:

".., and of them they make a banquet among themselves.

The Hollanders likewise baptize such as never passed that way before. And not only at the passage abovementioned, but also at the rocks called Berlingues, near the coast of Portugal, in the latitude of thirty-nine degrees and forty minutes, being a passage very dangerous, especially by night, when through the obscurity thereof the rocks are not distinguish able. But their manner of baptizing is quite distinct from that which we have described above as performed by the French. He, therefore, that is to be baptized is fastened, and hoisted up three times at the main-yard's end, as if he were a criminal. If he be hoisted the fourth time, in the name of the Prince of Orange or of the Captain of the vessel, his honour is more than ordinary.

Thus they are dipped, every one, several times into the main ocean. But he that is the first dipped has the honour of being saluted with a gun. Such as are not willing to fall are bound tp pay twelve pence for their ransom; if he be an officer in the ship two shillings; and if he be a passenger, according to his pleasure. In case the ship never passed this way before, the captain is bound to give a small runlet of wine, which, if he does not perform, the mariners may cut off the stem of the vessel.

All the profit which accrues by this ceremony is kept by the Master's Mate, who after reaching their port usually lays it out in wine, which is drunk amongst the ancient seamen. Some say this ceremony was instituted by the Emperor Charles the Fifth; howsoever, it is not found amongst his Laws. But here I leave these customs of the sea, and shall return to our voyage."

[Mission]

Foxe brought up an instance cited Barlow on Facebook about crossing the line, so I looked it up and reported it there. I thought it'd be nice to have it here as well because posts here are searchable, unlike Facebook.

"And steering our course southerly, in the beginning of May we crossed the Equinoctial Line, every man who had not been so far before paying his bottle of strong waters as a forfeit, it being merrily drunk out by all the rest that had been there before, an old custom amongst seamen." (Barlow, p. 181)

[GregF]

Richard Zacks, in The Pirate Hunter, describes the ritual in his description of Captain Kidd's Adventure Galley:

The ritual varied from ship to ship but, more often than not, it involved a chance for the crew to extort some hard liquor or money from the equator virgins, i.e., first-time crossers.

The Adventure Galley crew, with playful taunts, herded newcomers, including twenty-one-year-old heir Samuel Bradley and forty-six-year-old Benjamin Franks, off to one side. Then the men slung a rope through a pulley at one end of a lower yardarm. To test its strength, they tied a board to it and watched the wood splash in the sea and drag in the waves. "He, therefore, that is to be baptized, is fastened and hoisted up three times at the main yard's end, as if he were a criminal," wrote an eyewitness. "Thus, they are dipped, every one, several times in the ocean. But he that is dipped first has the honor of being saluted with a gun."

Edited February 2, 2014 by GregF

[Mission]

Since he quoted it, did Zacks give the source for that, Greg?

[GregF]

Since he quoted it, did Zacks give the source for that, Greg?

Not really, no. The passage I quoted appears on page 30 of The Pirate Hunter, but Zacks does not use footnotes so I cannot easily determine which source he used for this particular quote or passage. He does list an extensive list of sources in the back, including some primary / archival sources. If you don't have a copy of the book, I could scan those pages and email them.

[Mission]

No, you don't need to do all that. I was just wondering what the source of the quote was as it sounds like something that would be worth a read.

[GregF]

I think it's worth a read. I enjoyed it.

[Mission]

I meant the source book containing the quote. (I generally avoid modern books without reference notes because if something in them interests me, I want to be able to read their sources if I can track them down. I try to return the favor by citing everything I use in situ.)

[GregF]

I meant the source book containing the quote. (I generally avoid modern books without reference notes because if something in them interests me, I want to be able to read their sources if I can track them down. I try to return the favor by citing everything I use in situ.)

I can appreciate that. Not to belabor the point, but Zacks' sources are decent so if you want to take a look at them I'll get them to you.