Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-04-17
A FLOGGING.

ISOW lIleIl, nt duueU, JOu dIl dCiTlt Tue cHdISe,
you know The penalty. Strip! Quarler-lnaser, are
the g7aings rgged"
ThegratIngs esquare frames ofbarred woodwork,
sometimes placed over the hatcbways. One Of
these squares was now laid on deck, close TO the
the ships 5uIwarks, and while the remaining prepar
ations were being made, the master-at arms assisted
The prisoners in removing their jackets and shirts.
This done, their shirts were loosely thrown over
their shoulders.
AT sign from the Captain, John with shame
less leer, advanced, and stood passivey upon the
grating, while the bare headed old quartermaster,
with grey hair streaming in the wind, bound his
feet The bars and stretching his arms over his
head, secured them TO the Misunderstanding above.
He then retreaed little space, standing silent.
Meanwhile the boatswain stood solemnly on the
other side with green bag in his hand from which
taking four instruments of punishment. he gave one
10 aaoh Of his mates for fresh t<cat, applied sy
fresh hand, is the ceremonious privilege accorded to
every man.of. war culprit.
At another sign from the Captain, the master
alarms, stepping up, removed the shirt from the
prisoner. AT this juncture wave broke against
the ships side, and dashed the spray over his ex-
posed back But though the air was piercing cold,
and the water drenched him, John stood still without
shudder.
The Captains finger was now lifted, and the first
boatswain mate advanced ,combng out the nine tails
of his cat with his hand and theG sweeping them
round his neck. brought them with the force of his
body at the mark. Again, and again, and again; !;
and at every blow, higher and higher rose the long
purple bars on the prisoners back. But he only
bowed over his head, and stood still. Meantime,
some of the crew whispered among themselves in
applause of their ship mates nerve; but the great
er part were breahessly silent as the keen scourge
hissed through the wintry air, and fell with cut-
ting, wiry sound upon the mark. One dozen lashes
being applied, the man was taken down, and went
among the crew with smile, saying, ''D-n me!
it's nothing when you're use to it Who wants to
fight? ?D
The next was Antoine, the Portuguese. At ev-
cry blow he surged from side 10 side, pouring out
torrent of involuntary blasphemies. Never before
had he been heard 10 curse. When cut down, he
went among the men swearing to have the life ofthe
Capt Of course. this was unheard by The officers.
Mark the third prisoner only crnged end coughed
under the punishment He had some pulmonary
complaint. lie was off duty for several days after
the fgging but this was partly 10 he imputed 10
his extreme mental misery. II was his first scourg
ing, and he felt the insult more than the injury
He became silent and sulen the rest of the cruise
The fourth and last was Peter the mizent top lad.
He had often boasted that he had never been de-
graded at the gangway. The day before his cheek
had worn lis usual red, but now no ghost was whi-
Ter. As he was being secured TO the grating, and
the shudderings and creepngs of his dazzling white
back were revealed, he turned round his head i'm
ploringly but his weeping entreaties and vows OF
contriion were of no avail. 81 would not forgive
Gud Almighty !" cried the Captain. The
f. a.
blow, the boy, shouting ".Ny Godi Oh! My
God" writhed and eaped so as to displ.ce the
graiirgs, and scatter the nine tails on the sconree
all over his person. At the next blow he howled,
leaped, and ragged in unendurabe torture.
"What are you stopping for, boatswain's mate?'
cried The Captain. LAY on! J" and the whole doz-
en- was applied.
81 don't care what happens 10 me now" wept
Peter going among the crew, with blood shot eyes,
as he put on his Shirt 81 have oeen flogged once,
and they may do it again, they will. Let them
ok out for me now!"-.MerrilIe's fWhite Jacket
BARBARous CUsroMs-The act ofdyiug is tech
nicaliy termed the agony The expression en-
bodies a common and mistaken belief, which has
given birth to many cruel and even criminal prac-
tees. The Venitian ambassador in England in the
reign of Queen Mary, mentions among regular usa-
ges of the lower orders, that pillow was placed
upon the mouths Of the dying, on which their near
est relations sat or leaned I'LL they were stifled.-
The office was held 10 be pious and privileged ia
ther performed it for son, son for father. They con-
sidered they were curlailing the dreadful death
sruggle-lhat headlong fall from the precpice
was as much easier as it was quicker than the wind
ing descent by the path. A mode of sufiucaon less
murderous in appearance than the smoiherng with
c,r hnth he
Continent and in England. The supports were
Withdrawn by jerk from beneath the head, which
being suddenly thrown back, the respiration that
before was labored and difficult, became shortly i'm
possible. Roger North, in his life Of the Lord
Keeper, mentions that the Turks if noise is heard
in a tomb, dig up the corpse, and, as one method
of making matters sure, chop it into pieces. lie
adds that some English merchants, riding at Con-
sianlinople in company with Janisary, passed an
aged and shriveed Jew, who was sitting on sep
ulchre The Janisary never doubted that Of the
sepulch7e the Jew himself was the rghtful tenant,
and ordered him back to his grave, after rating him
soundly for sinking the world second time.
DISCOURSE ON MARRrAGE.-On Sunday the Sd
of Feb. last, in the good city Of New York, Mr.
Fernal delivered lecture to little hail full Of
people, many of them ladies, (?) on "unhaPpy
marriages" He maintained, il is said, that the
human family was designed TO live in pairs-that
one boy s. one girl were born for each other-train-
ed for each olher-in reality married from the be-
gnning-and that though they might miss ofeach
other on earth, they would meet and instantly know
each other in another world, as true welded pair,
and SO would be united through eternity! And be-
cause :he diviney appointed pairs did not one time
in hundred, get together in this world, therefore
dscord and misery were the chief fruits Of married
life on earth. The speaker earnestly exhorted all
unmarried men and women, who were not certain
of being designed for each other TO wait till they,
did know, even if,hey waited till they got into
eternity There was, of course, no singing nor
prayer, mingled with this ludcrous absurdiiy.
THE FREE STYLE OF DANcING.-Our protest,
last week, against the indiscrimnate use of the
polka at parties, has been received with general
favor. We think we can trace something Of the
deporabe condition of affairs which late events have
proved as existing in fashionable society, 10 the
freedom of manners which the polka allows, and
even invites. Walizng, when well done, is very
graceful, we allow. We do not blame ladies', there
fore, who approve Of dancing, for indulging in either
the Polka, the Redowa, or The plain waltz, povIded
the partner is husband, brother, or another female;