SEA SUPERSTITION.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 3, 4 January 1934, Page 10

SEA SUPERSTITION.

TANKER'S "WORRIED CREW.

A strange story of sea superstition lies behind the landing of' a sick Chinese quai-termaster from a tanker which, arrived in Sydney recently from. San Francisco. ■Eight, months ago a Chinese deck hand died on board, j He was dressed in his best clothes by other members of the crew; but reluctance wae shown in sewing canvas around the body. At last two quartermasters did the job and the body was buried after a service conducted by the captain. The Chinese believed that the. body of the dead man would follow the vessel, and consequently never moved about ab night without a torch. When the tanker left San Francisco, on the present voyage a seagull left with the vessel. Each night it would sleep aboard, and during the day stayed on the deck, where it was thrown morsels of food. Even the dog belonging to the chief officer, whose main delight was to catch birds, never managed to frighten it" away. The crew became worried when the bird still remained. Some thought, like the mariners of old, that the bird was the spirit of their dead companion. One clay off Honolulu the t>ird left, and was not seen again. But the crew still said. "Bird too long on ship. No good." The next day one of the quar-; termasters who had assisted in sewing the canvas around the body suffered a stroke and remained unconscious for several days. Advice for treatment was received by radio, and at Sydney he was landed and examined. He was then allowed to return to his ship.