Superstitions of the Sea by W. Clark Russell

There is a story told of some English sailors who, passing by the French Ambassador's house, that was illuminated in celebration of a treaty of peace between France and Great Britain, observed the word "Concord" flaming in the midst of several devices. The men read it "Conquer'd," and one of them exclaiming, "_They_ conquer us! they be," etc., they knocked at the door and demanded to know why such a word was put up. The reason was explained, but to no purpose, and the French Ambassador, in order to get rid of these jolly tars, ordered "Concord" to be taken down and replaced by the word "Amity."

It is to illiteracy of this kind that we are indebted for much of the romantic superstitions of the sea. In olden days the forecastle was certainly very unlettered, and the wonderful imaginings of the early navigators, whose imperfect gaze and enormous credulity coined marvels and miracles out of things we now deem in the highest degree prosaic and commonplace, descended without obstruction of learning or scepticism through the marine generations. It is easily seen on reading the old sea-chronicles how most of the superstitions had their birth, and it needs but a very superficial acquaintance with the nautical character to understand why they should have been perpetuated into comparatively enlightened times. Two capital instances occur to me, and they are both to be found in the narrative of Cowley's voyage round the world in the years 1683, '84, '85, and '86. The first relates to the old practice of choosing valentines.