22 December 1863

STANDARDISED

Tuesday 22nd

Up at 4.30am and had a bath. Strong wind the ship going rapidly. After breakfast preparations were commenced. A sail was spread out on two poles tied to the rigging etc so as to form a capacious cistern. The hose was [?] with the pump and soon filled it with water. Soon after Neptune made his appearance. Seated in a car along with his wife and driven along the deck by the police to the cabin door, where they went through some fantastic [?] prepatory to commencing operations. Neptune costume was truly grotesque – his notched tin crown and white beard of about three feet long, the trident over his shoulder with a red herring stuck on the point, reminded me of the Jewish Kings seen in old engravings. His wife was attired in a black dress, shepherd tartan shawl & crinoline, bonnet with a white ribbon and bunch of flowers, manilla wig tied neatly at the back, carrying a baby, and deeply stained with red, legs and all, reminded me of the wild red indian of America .The Doctor was attired in a suit of shabby black with spectacles, color & tie of large dimensions, watch of about seven inches in diameter, with a very heavy gourd and a mate carrying the medicine chest. The barbers were dressed with white aprons, [criked?] brown paper hats of a tri-angular shape tipped with a bunch of ribbons at the corners, layer and [?] about eighteen inches long, and large tins of prepared lather and brush swung around one of their necks. They had also a clerk with a large white beard & hat, books etc. The Keeper of the water bears had a hat of sacking with the three corners, and tar swords stuck across. He had also a large wooden board sheathed in canvas hanging by his head. The constables were neatly dressed in blue jackets, with members etc on their shoulders, armed with canvas batens.

The sail being well filled with water and a stool placed on the top of the pig edge, the first victim was brought forward. His hands tied behind his back & eyes bandaged. He was seated on the stool, the doctor felt his pulse, sounded their backs, poured a glass down their throat some pills etc, one of them got a tooth of [?] large [? ?] his mouth. After the doctor came the barbers, his nose was stuffed up with the lather, and when he attempted to breathe the brush was thrust down his throat, after being well soaked and shaved, he was toppled over in the water backwards, caught by the two bears, and held below the water till well nigh suffocated. His face well rubbed down with a piece of coarse canvas, he was allowed to tumble out on the other side and make his escape.

When Neptune’s six children was shaved he announced his willingness to shave any of the passengers that felt inclined but none accepted the offer. Some of them snatched the child from Mrs Neptune and pitched it into the water.  After apparently a few frantic efforts to save him she wildly plunged after him followed by old father Neptune [?] bathers etc and such splashing and ducking I never saw, like a covey of ducks washing themselves in a pond. Two of the passengers were seized and pitched in. Some of the them filled their long boots with water and pitched it among the crowd, which elicited peels of laughter from the assembled multitude, who seemed all to enjoy the treat heartily, and this ended the performance. The bears crept away to their den, Neptune & Wife was drawn in the car back to the forecastle, and we all went below to our dinner. A sea pie of preserved potatoes pork onions etc which we enjoyed very well after a forenoon’s laughing.

HENRY SCHOFIELD DIARY

Dec 22nd v fine

Had breakfast got water tea sugar butter currants & beef & suet. Made a rice pudding with currants in it and a cake for tea. Going about 9 knots per hour. For dinner rice pudding & beef. Reading the British Trident No 3. About 10 Oclock in the forenoon the fun began for having crossed the line by shaving & tarring those that had not crossed it before. At night the sailors had a fight.