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Show STRANGE SIGNS ON SHIPS Have Little Meaning to the Uninitiated, Uninitiat-ed, But Are Plainly Understood by Sailors. Strango Hlgns frequently hnng from ships which puzzlo oven dwellers In seaport towns to guess tho meaning of. A basket slung from tho mainmast main-mast head Is n sailor's sign to notify that tho enrgo haB been loaded or discharged, dis-charged, ns tho caso may bo, and that tho ship is ready to start on her noxt trip. This sho cannot do until tho usunl board of trado formalities havo boon observed, and tho ship's papers, which, while n Bhlp la In port, nro deposited de-posited with tho board of trado, havo boon roturncd to tho captain. A generally mysterious omblom Is a besom lashed to a mainmast or brldgo ratling. This is to signify that tho vessel ves-sel Is for salo. Occasionally a dark bluo strlpo may bo seen running foro and ntt on a vessel; ves-sel; as a matter of fact, this is a sign of recent bereavement. Hluo is tho Bailor's mourning, and tho strlpo of this color takes tho placo of tho black margin or band used by tho landsmon as a notification of death. |