CROSSING THE LINE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16793, 22 February 1915, Page 3

CROSSING THE LINE.

FATHER NEPTUNE ON A TROOPSHIP. A trooper describes the crossing of tho line on Troopship No. 11. I " Father Neptune came on board with Mrs Neptune and a staff of about twenty,'' he says, " and f was one of them." There were the A.D.C., the secretary, tho lady-in-waiting on Mrs Neptune, the policeman, the doctor, the dentist, tho barber, the dippers and the rest of them. Each victim was brought before old Neptune, who demanded how he dared to trespass on the dominion of the seas. Tho trespasser then was ordered to go through a medical examination and to be inoculated by the doctor, and after that be was handed over to the dentist, who extracted on© tooth. After that the barber lathered him with whitewash brushes. The lather Was strong enough to kill at fifty yards. It was put into his mouth, ears and eyes. He was then shaved with a. wooden razor as large as a scythe. Ho was tumbled betid' first into five feet of salt water. After being ducked, the hose was turned on him. Finally, somebody throwhalf a bucket of soot over him and ho was then released. Nearly all the officers were put through first. Some of them, who did not expect to be dealt with, attended to watch the fun in nice clean cotton clothes, ■ but it made no difference. I'm afraid their clothes were spoilt: At the conclusion of the performance, the crowd took to Neptune and his retainers, but by that time the supply of lather and soot had been exhausted', and all' Neptune got ! was a bath, which he thoroughly eti- | joyed."