The Burning Horse Ceremony

[Dragoman]

The topic I'm posting relates to a 19th century clipper ship named The Westland which used to sail from England to New Zealand and back. Because the sailors were on board a week before the passengers or cargo, it was the practice for them to receive a month's salary in advance. So, the end of the first month of the journey was a time of great rejoicing for them because, up to that point, they had been "working for a dead horse" but now their wages would begin to accumulate. The ceremony they undertook involved making a sham horse, stuffing it with straw, tar, pitch and other inflammable materials. The sailors then painted their faces black, wore ridiculous masks and hats and paraded the horse around the deck while singing and playing flutes, tin whistles etc, A mock auction followed and the horse was sold to the highest bidder. It was then hoisted up to the yardarm with its rider who set fire to it, letting it drop into the sea. The rider was then lowered safely. The ceremony ends with the crew assembling at the captain's cabin and being served with alcohol. I have never heard of this ceremony before and I would to know more about it and whether it occurred on other vessels besides a clipper ship.

[tonepad]

That advance in pay, their debt to the shipowners, had to be earned back at sea before the crewmembers could begin earning money for themselves. Williams wrote that after two months out at sea, the crew’s “dead horse” was “worked up.” He described his shipmates hauling a horse up to the yardarm while singing a sea chantey with the refrain: “Oh, poor Old Man, your horse must die! And I think so; and I hope so!” Williams wrote that they then cut the halyard and “let the old ‘dead horse’ drop into the sea.”

Extracted from:

https://seahistory.org/sea-history-for-kids/horse/



Tony

[tonepad]

And another example:

https://gristlyhistory.blog/2018/06/24/burying-the-dead-horse/



Tony

[Dragoman]

And another example:

https://gristlyhistory.blog/2018/06/24/burying-the-dead-horse/

Many thanks for these responses, Tony.

Tony