1902-12-05 — Page 3

SEA SUPERSTITIONS.

THE SAILORS' FRIDAY.

The fading superstitions of the sea will pas. sibly experience a vigorous revival by the uncanny tale of the Ventnor, which foundered off the New Zealand cost a few weeks ago, with its load of bones of Chinese dead.

This strange coincidence of a vessel laden with such a gruesome cargo foundering so soon after leaving port, has been interestingly discussed simply as a coincidence by many, and with a Tule awe, possibly, by the superstitious. The erdinary seaman of to-day may cone is with the landsman, wo observat, "No wonder," when he read the announcement of the wreck,

him.

THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, FRIDAY, DECEMBER

Flying Dutchman. The asually accepted SUPERSTITION AND THE ALPHABET. version of the story is that an unbelieving Sometimes it is letter of the alphabet that Dutch captain had vainly tried to round the brings ill luck. It is often, said, with reference Cape of Good Hope against a head gaie. He

to the United States Navy, that the letter S is wore he would do it, and, when the gale in

an unlucky one, from the losses of the creased, laughed at the fears of his crew, smoked his pipe, and drank his beer. He and many others. But a careful examination

Suwanee, Sacramento, Saramac, San Jacinta, } threw overboard some of them who tried to of the list shows that but one-fifth of the ships, make him put into port. An' apparition des whose names begin with that letter have heen cended-on-the-vessel, the captain-fired-his--lost.Another American maritime superstition pistol, piercing his own hand and paralysing was founded upon the refusal of Dr. Bowditch, his arm. He corsed God, and was then con who was much consulted by underwriters, to demned by the apparitio to navigate always insure a ship whose name commenced with O, without putting into port, only having gall to

as he declared that such ships were an unlucky drink, and red hot iron to eat, and eternally to

venture, that, they were lost, their cargoes burned or damaged, and were in every way watch. He was to be the evil genus of the sea, ta torment and punish sailors, the sight of his unfortunate risks. storm-tossed barque to carry presage of squalls. disasters, and tempests. His ship is the true Purgatory of the faithless and idle mariner.

Various localities on the English coast are said to be haunted by these phantom appear- ances. The Cornish coast especially is credited with being frequented by them But the story is told in many languages, and many nations have their Vanderdecken.

bat the old egeads and superstitions of the aca, to ure an Americanism, do not "cut ice" with By far the greater part of sailor beliefs and usage in regard ik tuck is applied to the luck or il-luck of certain days. The days of the week generally, with the exception of Friday hiv be a good chameter. But Friday is of all days the one said to be proverbially unlucky for sailors. Old sailors tell of th

Clark Russell, in one of his sea stories, tells leg al of the ship tha was commenced on a of the demon ship-"There may be encount. Friday, finished, on a Friday, named theered off the Agulhas bank, and upon the south- Friday, commanded by Captain Friday sailed on a Friday, and foundered, on the same luck- less day with all hands.

As a useful set-off against this superalitious dhead, Friday is frequently regarded as a lucky dir, notably in America, for Colun:bus sa led on Friday, discovered land on Friday, and the Pilgrims fandel on the same day, on which also Washington was born. A nice point arises here. The Spaniards deem it unlucky to sail on Friday. Columbus sailed on that fateful day, and found the country that brought

humiliation to the countr. he served.

THE "CHINGTU'S 1XPERIENCE An instance in support of the sailor belief was given last year, anys an exchange, when the

;

ern and eastern coast of the African extremity, a huge and ancient fabric rigged after a fashion figured as presenting something of the aspect long fallen into disuse, and manned by a crew

of death in unholy and monstrous vitality."

THE PRIMAL FISH STORY. Among other prominent superstitions that still survive in sailing vessels everywhere is It is, however, says a conne, ted with Jonah, writer of sea stories, confined to his bringing misfortune upon the ship in which he sailed,

and seldom is any allusion made to his mi- raculous engulphing by the great fish. It da's not take a 'ong series of misfortunes overtaking a ship to convince her crew that lineal des-

the Royal Charlotte, two English ships built at It has been noted that the Royal George and

the same yard, and named after the reigning sovereigns, were both lost, with all on board. has had great influence in the choice of names, This belief in the good or evil luck of ships Spanish sailors will not choose a secular name, as it is considered unlucky. So ancient Greeks seem to have avoided a masculine name, as alt their ships bore feminine ones, probably in deference to Athene, goddess of the sea.

SOME POPULAR BELIEFS There are still sailors who whistle for the

ment has gone with other superstitions, Time, wind, but the belief in the power of his siffle.

tan, has outlined the objection to the presence of a clergyman on board. The notion that the prezence of clergymen necessarily meant a run of bad weather has long since been exploded. although it is still custom for a mini-ter to be chaffed by his fellow-passengers, and threaten- ed with a "ducking" if the weather becomes at ail rough.

The belief that the death, whether of a man or an animal, must be followed by a gale, is even still held, and more firmly than any other,

except perhaps the idea that sharke, in horrible

Chingfu returned frora China with the Australian cend .nt of Jonah, and an inheritor of his anticipation, will follow any ship wherein is a

Naval Contingent. The steamer left Taku on a Friday, and sailed m Hongkong on a Friday On the same day, a week later, it is recorded, the ship's cat and a fox terrier came to blows, and the cat died, while on Friday the health-officer canie aboard, and, in the natural nautical order of things. quarantined the ship, But stean has changed this superstitious feeling in regard to Friday. The idea of de taining a vessel in port a whole day in de- ferenc to a superstitious idea, which, despite the ins anres of disasters, notably of the Eng-

·lish(ship Captain, and the troopship Birken. head, which both sailed on a Friday, is regarded as ridiculous, and it has died a natural death, like other superstitions of land and ser.

FOREIGN DREAD OF FE DAY.

Among the Sp nish, Dalian, Austrian, and Greek sailing vessels, Friday is still held in most superstitious awe. One modern weiter on the sen say: "On Good Friday there is al ways a regular carival bell on board these vessels, the yards being allow. d to hang at all sorts of angles he gear flung dishevelled and loose while an effigy of Judas is subjected to all the abuse and indig a'eg lýst he lively imagina. tions of the seamen can devise. Findly, the effigy is besmeared with tar, and it is set alight, amid the frantic ye Is and execrations of the scamen,"

+

THE PHANTOM SHIP

'Tis the phantom stlp that, in darkness and wrath, Hough everture the waste ocean path;

And the lean of the anarines troubles in dread When it comes his vision, like a ghost of the dend

The most picturesque and romantic of the many tales aong sailors was the legend of the SK for ASAHI JAPANESE BEER-

G-Giranh,

A

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disagreeable disqualifications, is a passenger. John Smith records that he was deemed a "Jonah while on a page to Rome. sailors declared "they would never have fair weather while he (a heretic) was on board.”

This tinge of religius fanaticism shows itself in anotherway. Itisan unheard ofm'sdemeanour on board ship to destroy or put to common use paper upon which "good words" are printed. The man guilty of such an action would be looked upon with horror by his shipmates although their current speech may be vile and blasphemous.

SUPERNATURAL FINNS.

To the most prosaic of all sea-grang people, the Finns, has bera allotted a supernatural sta: us. It is tated that in British, American, sad "candia:vian vessels Finns ar credited with characteristics which would have led to trimble a hundred years ago. A whole host of legends have grown up around Finnish se fiers.

No Finn, it is declared, was ever known to lase anything like there was a ray in the ship, and the reason why Finns are always fat 15 because they have only to go and stick teir knives in the foremast to effert a total change in their ment to whatever they fancy most keenly at the time They are credited, too, with being able to draw any liquor they like from the water breaker by turning their cap round, and they never write letters hame because the birds that hover round the ship are proud to bear their messages, whithersoever they list. The catalogue of the privileges of these marines could be greatly extended.

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A RISKY PRACTICE.

It is curious to learn that expec'oration to windward was considered unlucky among-the Maldine Talanders, Even in these unromantic times such a practice, for obvious reasons, is likely to provoke an incipient riot, even on a Manly steamer.

ladder

To hand anything through A was considered unlucky. An anecdote is told of a ship captain who greatly offended a sailor by passing him a mug of beer through a ladder, The dread of this practice, may also be said to have outgrown itself————

Sneezing, too, had its place in sea supersti tion. Among Baltic mariners it was deemed unlucký to sneeze on Christmas Day. The Greek and Roman sailors, thought a sneeze to the right hand lucky, to the left hand un- lucky,

†

Thermistocles is said to have conceived a gand opinion of the result of a naval env ... ment in which he was about to participate by a sneeze to the right just as he was about lo sacrifice to the gods, Timotheus, on the con- trary, would not sail because he heard a sneeze to the left of him.

Shetlanders still prognosticate the weather by sneezing.

SAVED FROM A WRECK TO BE

DR WNED.

Unfortunately, there are many superstitions of the sea that prove to be false, for instance, the belief that those who are saved from a wreck will never be drowned.

AKS for ASAHI JAPANESE BEER-

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Of many instances two may be mentioned as peculiar, because the subjects saved lives Brave Rogers, who swam nshore with a rope from the ill-fated Royal Charter, which was being crunched to atoms, only a few miles afterwards drowned in the Teremakau River, from her journey's end, near Liverpool, was

on the west coast of New Zealand, and the cook "Antonio," of the Traarus, who swam ashore with a lady, when that vessel was lost with over 100 lives off Waipapa Point, Otago, was afterwards drowned while carrying out. business as a fisherman,

VARIOUS SAILOR LEGEND The strange beliefs of sailors in omens, charms, luck, and images are numerous. A few, however, may be given. A bellef in the virtues of odd numbers was very prevalent, as shown in the usages of maritime nations with regard to salutes. Children, according to some, are unlucky on board English ships, but others say they are considered fortunate. Hares, as weather bringers, were especially considered ill-omened. The Norman fishermen declined to take cats and priests in their boats. Swedish sailors would not go to sea in ship having a cat, or a spinning-wheel on board. Somerset Ashermen would not go to sea if they met apig while on their way to the boats. A ship was considered to be unlucky if anyone was killed in launching her,

building a ship. If the first blow struck in In Pomerania stojen wood was employed in fashioning the keel drew fire the belief was that the ship would be lost on her first trip. In Ires land it is deemed unlucky to use the wood of n certain tree, called sarb, in building ships, 1 was even thought unlucky on board of English ships to turn a hatch cover upside down, or to lose a bucket or swab overboard. Seamen thought it a misfortune to lose or tear the colors, and it was unlucky in English ships to sew salis on the-quarter deck,

1902.

Mails.

NIPPON YUSEN KAISHA.

(THE JAPAN MAIL STEAMSHIP COMPANY.)

DESTINATIONS.

(MARSEILLES, LONDON & ANT-J

SAILING DATES.

Daylight.

PROJECTED SAILINGS FROM HONGKONG-SUBJECT TO ALTERATION,

STEAMERS. Kanagawa MARU

J. MacKenzie...and TAMBA MARU ......

J. W. Walc.... KINSHI MARU⭑

F. L. Pyne

*********WERP, VIL SINGAPORE, PENANG, SATURDAY, 13th Dec,

COLOMBO and PORT SAID

SADO MARU

J. B. Macmillan................... YAWATA MARU.....

A. E. Moses SHINANO MARU”.

M. J. Curnow

KUMANO MARU

E. W. Haswell SANUKI MARU ....................... W. Townsend BOMBAY MARU

T. Murai

Daylight.

NAGASAKI, KOBE and YOKO-Į TUESDAY, 16th Dec, at 1. HAMA (VICTORIA, B.C., and SEATTLE, U.S.A VIA SHANGHAI, Moj!, KOBE and-YOKOHAMA

MARSEILLES, LONDON & ANT WERP, VIA SINGAPORE, PENANG, COLOMEO and PORT SAID..... NAGASAKI, KOBE and YOKO-

HAMA VICTORIA, B.C., and SEATTLE, U.S.A., VIA SHANGHAI, NAGASAKI, Moji, KOSE and YOKOHAMA (SYDNEY and MELBOURNE, VIA

THURSDAY ISLAND, TOWNSVILLE and BRISBANE

A KOBE and YOKOHAMA

TUESDAY, 16th Dec, at

4 P.M.

SATURDAY, 27th Dec., at

Daylight,

SATURDAY, 27th Dec, at

Noon.

TUESDAY, 30th Dec., at

4 F. AL

THURSDAY, 1st January, at

4 P.M. FRIDAY, 2nd January, at

- Daylight, (BOMBAY, VIA SINGAPORE and? FRIDAY, 2nd *an., at {COLOMBO....

Noon, Through Passenger Tickets issued for the Principal Cities in the United States, Canada and Europe. in connection with the GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY an 1-Atlantic Stenmers. Round-the-World Tickets also issued. Between Moji and Kobe, 1st and 2nd Class Through Passengers have the Option of Travelling by the Sanyo Railway.

For further Information as, to Freight, Passage, Sailings, &c., apply at the Company's Local Branch Office in Prince's Building, 1st Floor, Chater Road.

A. S. MIHARA, Manager,

Hongkong, 5th December, 1952,

ORIENTAL

STEA

THE PENINSULAR AND ORIENTAL STEAM NAVIGATION COMPANY.

►

STEAM FOR

COMPAGNIE DES MESSAGERIES MARITIMES.

PAQUEROTS-POSTE FRANCAIS.

NOTICE,

STEAM FOR

SAIGON, SINGAPORE, BATAVIA, COLOMBO, PONDICHERRY, MADRAS,-

CALCUTTA, DJIBOUTI, EGYPT, MARSEILLES, MEDITERRANEAN- AND BLACK SEA PORTS, LONDON, HAVRE, BORDEAUX;

• ALSO

When a basin was turned upside down fishermen in the South of England would not go to sca. The Dutch in the fifteenth century deemed it lutky if a ship, when laden, heeled to starboard, but unlucky if to port. Chinese junk sailors considered it unlucky, and a fore. runner of foul weather, to expe torate over the bows of the vessel when starting on a voyage. When Irish sailors passed a little island, Mac Dara, they wetted their sails three times in the water to insure a good vojnge. Spanish sailors regard it as unlucky to place the left-foot ashore TRAITS, CEYLON, AUSTRALIA, INDIA, PORTS OF BRAZIL AND RIVER PLATE, first, or board, a ship left foot first. It is con sidered unlucky for a Spanish house wife to put the broom beh nd the door with the brush up during her husband's absence at sea. When Greenock whalers left port it was former. ly a custom to throw old shoes after them for luck. At the present day the whale fishers of cotland before leaving often burn effigies to. promote a lucky voyage.

SANITARY SOFT

**

Intimations. NOTICE.

TOP BEST PREVENTIVE OF ALL INFECTIOUS DISEASES.

80AP.

JEYES

FLUID

DISINFECTANT

SOAP

AVOID ALL RISK OF OUTBREAK BY ITS USE

W. G. HUMPHREYS & Co., Bank Buildings. Hongkong, dll March «los,

MEMORY POINTS ABOUT

SINGER

SIMPLE.

SEWING

STRONG.

171

MACHINES.

SILENT.

SOLD ON INSTALMENTS AND FOR CASH,

WE make but one grade of product, admitted to be the best; hence attempts at imitation.

SPEEDY.

WE deal directly with the people, through our own employees all over the world, selling 1,000,000 Machines

annually,

Ou get an up-to-date Machine, built on honour, to wear a life-time. YOU get it for the Lowest Price at which such a machine can be furnished. YOU will receive careful instruction from a competent teacher at your home. YOU can obtain necessary accessories direct. from the Company's offices... YOU will get prompt attention. in any part of the world; our offices are everywhere, and we give careful attention to all customers, no

matter where their machines may have been purchased. YOU will be dealing with the leading sewing machine manufacturers in the world, having an unequalled expreience and an unrivalled.

reputation to maintain-the strongest guarantee of excellence and fair dealing,

THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

GENERAL OFFICE FOR CHINA:

18, BANK BUILDINGS, CORNER QUEEN'S ROAD AND WYNDHAM STREET, HONGKONG, BRANCHES IN EVERY CITY IN THE WORLD AND AGENTS IN EVERY TOWN. RETAIL OFFICES: 3A, WYNDHAM STREET, HONGKONG.

64, ELGIN ROAD, KOWLOON.

ADEN, EGYPT, MEDITERRANEAN. PORTS, PLYMOUTH. AND, LONDON.

Through Bills of Lading issued for BATAVIA,

PERSIAN GULP, CONTINENTAL, AMERI CAN and SOUTH AFRICAN PORTS.) HE Steamship

ON Company, Steamship

N MONDAY, the 15th December, 1903,

"INDUS," Captain Duchateau, with Mailt, Passengers, Specie and Cargo, will leave this Fort for MARSEILLES, via Ports of Call, WITHOUT TRANSHIPMENT...

"PARRAMATTA," Captain F. J. Fox, carrying His Majesty Mails, will be despatched" from this for BOMBAY, TO-MORROW, the 6th instant; Cargo will be received on board until 4 P.M. Shipping Orders will be granted till Noon, at Noon, taking Passengers and Cargo for the Specie and Parcels until 3 F.., on the 14th.

bove Ports.

Cargo and Specie will be registered for Lon. don as well as for Marseilles, and accepted in a places of Europe.

transit through Marseilles for the principal

Silk and Valuables, all Cargo for France, instant. (Parcels are not to be sent on board; de transhipped bioder agrement) will they must be left at the Agency's Office.) Con

***For Wincharah Peaskages, are required, proceeding direct to Marseilles and London

for

A

G. DE CHAMPEAUX, Agent, Hongkong, and December, igaz.

ther Cargo for London, &c., will be conveyed pany's Office. vid Bombay with Transhipment.

Parcels will be received at this Office until f P.M. the day, before sailing. The Contents and Value of all Packages are required,

Shippers are particularly-requested to noir the terms and conditions of the Company's

Bills of Lading.

For further Particulars, apply to

E. A. HEWETT, ・・

Superintendent.

To be Let,

TO LET.

[F0040

WO SPACIOUS GODOWNS-Nos

(4

Two

Hongkong, sth December, 1972.

NORTHERN PACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

BOSTON STEAMSHIP COMPANY.

and 96, PRAYA EAST.

TWO ROOMS above NEW VICTORIA HOTEL

Apply to

H. N. MODY,

Victoria Buildings, Hongkong, 4th December, 1902.

[1328d

TO LET.

BOSTON TOW-BOAT COMPANY. THE RETREAT," -MOUNT KELLETT

PROPOSED SAIlings from HongKong,

VIA

BHANGHAI, INLAND SEA OF JAPAN,

KOBE AND YOKOHAMA, FOR VICTORIA, BC, AND TACOMA, IN CONNECTION WITH NORTHERN. PACIFIC RAILWAY

Steamers.

Glenogle...

Tacoma Tremant

--COMPANY,

Captains.

„G. E. Warner.]

A. Dixon

Victoria J. Panton

Tous. 1902-03-

3,750 | Dec. ~6 1,811 Dec. 17 0606 Dec. 30 3.502 fan. 3

Steamers marked (*), have on passenger accommodation.

The attention of passengers is directed to the very cheap rates offered by this line to the Pacific Coast and to the Interior and Eastern Cities of the United States and to Europe,

Special rates allowed to members of Govern- ment Services.

Through Bill of Lading issued to Pacific Const Paints and to the Principal Cities in the United States and Canada. **

For further Information as to Freight or Passage, apply to

DODWELL, & CO., LIMITED,

General Agents, Hongkong, 14th November, 1902, 18740

Insurance.

NORTH: GERMAN FIRE INSURANCE: COMPANY, OF HAMBURG,

For Sale.

HOUSES at CAUSEWAY BAY, facing the

Polo Ground,

NO. KRIPON TERRACE.

GODOWNS at BOWRINGTON, Praya Rast, Apply ta

THE HONGKONG LAND INVEST." MENT & AGENCY CO., LD. Hengkong, z9th November, too. Izágé

No

TO LET..

0.4, KNUTSFORD TERRACE Kow

LOON..

Apply_to_

THE HONGKONG LAND INVEST- MENT & AGENCY CO, LD. Hongkong, 21st November. 1902, [1261d

SEVE

TO LET

EVERAL NEWLY BUILT EUROPEAN HOUSES in LEIGHTON HILL ROAD.. Apply to

THE HONGKONG & KOWLOON. LAND & LOAN CO., LD." No. 8, Queen's Road West,

Hangbang, goth, October, rong

-TO LET.

MEIRION No. 3, the Peak, 6.Room,

House near the Flagstaff from ryth October, 1902.

Apply to

E. JONES HUGHES.- Hongkong, 7th October, roz [1053d

ST. JOSEPH'S COLLEGE HONGKONG

WING to the insufficiency of accommoda

Toundersigned AGEed to of the stove

Compare prepared to accept Fin,sion in the present building and the las Class FOREIGN and CHINESE RISKS a creasing demand for admission, it has been CURRENT Rates...

found necessary to extend the wings of the SIEMSSEN & Co. main building and to enlarge the Chinese de Hongkong, 18th May, 1894.

(25 partment by an additional storey with two wings. The estimated cost will amount to over $15,000. To cover these expenses we Appeal to the liberality of all friends of Education The establishment has been in existence for the last 15 years and is open to all classes. Much of the clerical work of the city is carried on by its past pupils. As this is the first time we haya applied for assistance we expect a generous responseThe names of our most 'liberal Benefactors will be inscribed upon marble blets, asa lasting testimony of their generosity, THE CHRISTIAN BROTHERS kons, and Novembar, 100l.

FOR SALE

ONE BROADWOOD PIANO.

ROOM-No.446,

Hongkong Hotel

Apply at--

Hongkong, Ah August, 1903: