LORE OF THE SEA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15563, 21 March 1914, Page 5 (Supplement)

LORE OF THE SEA.

LEGAL ADVICE FOR SAILORS. Some remarkable advice' to seafarers is given in an old Portuguese book, published for the guidance of mariners. Amongst other things it deals with the rights of captains to assault sailors, and the methods in which the attacks are to be legally met. The sailor is advised to bear calmly any verbal abuse that an irate skipper may hurl at him, but if words passed to blows he was to run away into the bows and firmly take his stand beside the anchor chain.

Should an infuriated master, armed with a belaying pin or other lethal weapon, chase him to his stronghold, the manner was to run round to the farther side of the cliain. Should he still be pursued, he was to call his messmates to witness that the master had broken the rules by circumventing the chain. Then, at last, he was to defend himselt and let us hope he would do it well! Other little matters of discipline are set out, and they show a noble effort to make the punishment fit the crime. A seaman who fell 1 asleep on his watch was only put on a diet of bread and water, unless the offence was committed in hostile waters. In (hat case he must be stripped naked, flogged by his messmates, and ducked thrice in the sea.

If he were an officer, however, he would only lose all food except his bread, and have a pail of water flung over him from the head downwards.