after a little palavering, ordered the steward to bring up
some grog and serve it out to them. Then retiring a short way forward,
Neptune commanded all who had not before visited his dominions to come
and pay their respects to him.

We all did so, not feeling very comfortable as to what was to follow,
when his attendants got hold of Jim and me. Horner tried to escape, but
was quickly captured and brought back.

No one interfered with Esdale, who had, I found, crossed Neptune's hand
with a crown-piece; which, of course, none of us were able to do. A
huge tub of water had been placed in front of his majesty. The barber
now came forward and insisted on shaving all those who were for the
first time crossing the line. Three of the ordinary seamen were novices
like us.

The barber first lathered our chins with some abominable mixture from
his pot, and then, scraping it off with his razor, finally ducked our
heads into the tub. Horner, when undergoing the operation, had the
brush several times thrust into his mouth, and his whole face and head
daubed over. When he opened his mouth to expostulate, in again went the
brush. As he kicked and screamed and spluttered, he was treated worse
and worse.

Jim, taking a lesson from me, kept his mouth shut. I was let off even
more easily than he was. Once Horner got loose, but instead of wisely
remaining on deck and holding his tongue, he ran up the rigging and
began abusing Daddy Neptune and his gang, whereupon he was again
captured and compelled to undergo the same operation as before.

Blacky the cook next brought out his fiddle, and Neptune and his party--
indeed, the whole crew--began dancing round and round, singing and
shouting every now and then as an interlude, catching hold of the "green
hands" and pitching them into the tub, chase being always made after
those who attempted to escape.

The grog circulated so rapidly among the crew that they would all soon
have been intoxicated had not the captain, in a thundering voice,
ordered them to knock off and bring their tomfoolery to an end.

They obeyed. Neptune and his followers dived below, and presently
returned like stout seamen as they were.

The order was given to brace the yards sharp up, and, with an easterly
wind, we stood on our course.

The next land we made was a solitary islet. Near it stood a remarkable
rock called the "Ninepin," detached from the land. The doctor told me
that it is eighteen hundre