Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1847-02-17
THE MAINToPMAN's DEATH BED.


seaman, John lockwood. The evening
breezes dallied gently with the white and
extended sails, and made a melancholy
music, peculiarly their own, among the
tightened and well stretched standing and
running rigging. The sounds from these
rough and noble harp-strings might, fancy
aided, have been thought to breathe a
requiem of the most soothing melody 10
the dying maintopman.
There was that awful hush throughout
tho popu'ous ship which, though no, abso-
Lutte silence, might be said TO be something
more still. The low meanings Of the gentle
winds, the faint splashing of the waves,
and the careful tread OF the few officers
who were moving about, indicated that life
and action still existed, but existed with a
sabdued solemnity, well beilting the death
bed Of the humble and the good.
The hardy and sialwart seamen were
al quarters, and they whispered each other
10 sorrowful accents that their shipma.e
was "golng alofi," was "under weigh for
the right place" "had iripped his anchor
for glory" and in other sea-,aught and
quaint expressions, int;ma.ed their Convic-
ton that he ''was down in the good be.
havionr lisi,' and had secured "a good
ber,h,' where the wicked cease from t:oub-
ling and the weary find rest.
The men had been mustered, whilst the
slantjng sun-beams steamed through the
PORTFOLIOS upon iher glistening cutasses:
ali the dreadful appurtenances belonging
10 ''glorious war had been reported he ldy
for action, and secured forhe night. and
Captain Dabgcourt was on the point OF
ordering the first lieutenant TO "bcat the
retreat" when the ass slant surgeon walk
ed slowly and lightly across the quaIter
deck, and whispered the surgeon, who ap
preached the captain and communicated
with him in low toe,
The commander Of the 'Maiestic,"
bowed his head sorrowlully at this inior.
nation and approaching the break OF the
quarter deck, commanded in a subdued tone
of voice, that the boatswain's mates should
pass tie word fore aud aft, for the men 10
disperse themselves quietly. One man
on board was TO hear no more the cheerful
rattle of doubling drum"
Attended by the Surgeon add his as
sistant, Captain Dabricourt proceeded TO
the sick bay. and was soon standing near
the hammock, where swung, on his death
bed, the honest. and once blylh maintop
man, John lockwood.
There was no chaplain on board. Al
the time ofwhich we were speaking, there
were, at most, but three or tour clergy
men dispersed among many ships, and it
was seldom that single cguizer was so
fortunate rs 10 possess one. As Captain
Dabrcourt stood over The dying man, ga
z ng wis,fully in The wan counlenance be-
meath him, he held open the prayer,book
at the office Of the visitation Of the sick.
s.Is he rational enough 10 benefit by di>
vine consolation?" said the captain, ad
dressing the surgeon.
81 hardly know, Captain Ddbricourt. -
The poor fellow ancies that he is over
looking party oil agricultural laborers VITO
are moving the grass in the fields of his
native village. He is very restless List
cnr'
1.-The scyihes want sharpening, iu6bers
all, murmured lockwood. "See the wa
wing grass rise again fast-fast as they
sweep it down. y ropeyarn for such now
ers! They do no more than the summer
wind as it sweeps over the lds;-there
-therc-;here and he pointed 10 the dan
cling waves, all green and joyous, which
rose and fell not unlike the bending and
rising grass in q meadow ready for the
scythe
lockwood was then silent Cor a space.
giving intenly through the port, hole upon
the sea. and feebIy nodding his head and
waving his atienuated hand to the motion
of the waters Yes" he continued, Il
know that am very i'll, and it is terrible
TO die here, away from my gallant ship,
and my jolly j I.y nlesmaios. always
hoped 10 be- buried in the cool blue seas, a
thousand thousand fathoms down below all
the sharks. What a quiet, roomy, pleas
ant grave! mould, no dirt, no filthy worms
Blu, now, poor Jack will be huddIed into
the church-yard, among the bones Of a
parcel Of shore gong sinners, TO rot in
six feet deep grave. How | hate that
rottina! Now away; now away, ye lub-
beis! You see the grass is up again be-
fore We have time 10 bring your scJihes
rouud.h
An expressive look passed between the
captain and the surgeon, VIII ch plainly in
dicated that they thought the poor fellow
N cxtre NIFTY. and that they ought not TO
pray with, but for him. The captain then
commenced. with solemn voice reading
tho prayers for the sick at the point Of de-
pa,ture. When he came 10 the words
1--WE humbly commend the soul OF this
thy servant, our dear brother" the sailor
rallied al the word brother amazingly, for
very strongly had he captain emphas lied
il.
"Brother! my brother! where is hea aud
where am /? No, no, no-your honor;
you are my cap,ain-God bless you. SIR"
.Your 6rother-your friend and brother,
believe it, said he captain, placing much
much stress upon tie words .'youE friend
and bro;her!"
II cannot very well make out nv bear
ings and distance said lockwood. hest
ra,ngly, and with very feeble voice. II
seem 10 be in two places at once-in my
own village and my aunts room. looking
out upon the half-yearly parish land: and
vet, things are about me that could only
he on board ship. | am sure I've had a
melhody parson praying with me the
las, two glasses; and what vexes me is.
thai |, thorough seaman,who have always
done a seamau's duty. should be buried in
dry gave shores This was uttered
with many interruptions, yet the meaning