Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-06-23

admonition, and of his own danger, he rushed
upon deck and flew to his gun laying hold to
help to run her out A fresh and tremen-
duous discharge from his lungs was the con-
sequence, and he was brought down to me
again, in most deplorable state. appre-
hended immediate death, but by the appca-
cation Of the proper remedies, | succeeded,
once more, in stopping the hemorrhage, by
which he was reduced to state Of extreme
debility. Being near the equator, and suffer-
ing much from heat, his hammock was hung
upon the gun deck, between the ports. as al
fording the best circulation of air. He con-
tinued some time free from hemorrhage, but
was under the constant use of medicines and
was confined to particular diet. This made
him fretful, and he would frequently charge
my mates with starving him, and at the same
time damning them in the true sailor style.
After some time, being again called to quar-
ters, he was necessarily called below to the
sick berth, commonly called bay, j this was
followed by another discharge Of blood from
the lungs, which was renewed, at intervals,
until his death.
On the 18th of January, in the afternoon,
DIR. =, (ny first mate,) came to me on
deck. and reported Kemble to be dead. |
directed him TO see that his messmates did
what was usual on such occasions preparatory
| About two hours after this DR.. -- again
called upon me, and said that Kemble had
come to life, and was holding forth to the
sailors in q strange way. directly went
down, where | witnessed one Of the most re-
m9kabe and unaccountable transactions,
that perhaps has ever fallen to the lot of man
to behold Kemble had awakened, as it
were from sleep, raised himself up, called for
his messmates in particular. and those men
who were not on duty to attend to his words.
lie told them he had experienced death, but
was allowed short space of time to return,
and give them as well as the officers, some
directions for their future conduct in life. In
this situation l found him surrounded by the
crew, all mute with astonshment. and paying
the most serious attention to every word that
escaped from his lips. The oldest men were
in tcars-not dry eye was to be seen, or
whisper to be heard-all was as solemn as
the grave. His whole body was as cold as
death could make it. There was no pulsa-
! tion in the wrists, the temples, or the chest,
perceptible. His voice was clear and power
full his eyes uncommonly brilliant and ami
mated. After short and pertinent address
to the medical gentlemen, he told me in q
peremptory manner to bring Commodore
Rogers to him, as he had something TO say to
him before he finally left us. The Commo-
dore consented to go with me, when scene
was presented truly novel and indescribable.
and calculated to fill with awe the stoutest
heart. The sick bay Tor BERTH in which he
/ lay is entirely set apart to the use of those
who are confined TO their beds by Illness
Supported by the surgeons, surrounded by
his weeping and astonished comrades a crowd
of spectators looking through the lattice work
which enclosed the room. n common iapanned
| lamp, throwing out a sckly light, and can
| die held opposite his face by his attendant,
was the situation of things, when our worthy
Commodore made his appearance. And well
does he remember the effect produced by so
uncommon spectacle, especially when fol-
| lowed by the utterance Of these words from
| the mouth Of one long supposed to be dead
Commodore Rogers, ] have sent for you,
sir, being commissioned by a higher power,
to address you for short time, and to deliver
. the message entrusted to me, when | was
permitted to revisit the earth. Once / trem-
bled in your presence, and was eager to obey
your commands but now ! am your supe-
rior, being no longer an inhabtant Of earth.
| have seen the glories of the world of spirits
| am not permitted to make known what |
! beheld. Indeed, were not forbidden, Ian
guage would be inadequate to the task 'Tis
enough for you and the crew to know that !
have been sent back TO earth to reanimate,
for few hours. my liieless body, commission
ed by God, to perform the work ! am now
engaged in.
He then, in language rs chaste and appro-
pirate as would not have disgraced the lips or
pen Of divine, took hasty view of all the
moral and religious duties incumbent upon
the commander of ship OF war he reviewed
the vices prevalent on board of ship; poin-
ted out the relative duties of officers ana
men, and concluded by urging the necessity
of reformation and repentance. He did not,
as was feared by our brave Commodore, at
tempt to prove the sinfulness of fighting and
wars but, on the contrary, warmly recon-
mended to the men the performance of their
duty to their country with courage and fideli-
ty. His speeches occupied about three-quar-
ters of an hour and if the whole could have
been taken down at the time, they would
have made considerable pamphlet, which
would, no doubt, have been in great demand.
Doctor -, now at Boston. heard all the
addresses, only the last. When he finished
with the Commodore, his head dropped upon
his breast, his eyes closed, and he appeared
to pass through second DEATH no pulsa-
ton, nor the least degree Of warmth, could
be perceived during the time he was speak
ing. l ordered him to he laid aside, and left
him.
was soon called into the cabin, where the
Commodore required from me an explanation
of the case on rational and philosophical
principles. This l endeavored to give-I
but in part succeeded. 1t would swell this
narrative too much to repeat all l said in
endeavorng to elucidate the subject at least
it proved lame attempt. For, when asked
how this man, without education or reading,
or mixing in other society than that Of COM
mon sailors, should acquire the command of
the purest language, properly arranged, and
delivered clearly, distinctly, with much ami
nation and great effect, gave no reply; and
it was, and ever will remain, inexplicable,
without admitting supernatural agency. The
days Of miracles are passed, and l know
shall be laughed at by many for dwelling up
on or repeating this story. But never since
arrived at the years Of discretion, has any
thing taken stronger hold upon my mind !;
and that man must have been made of strange
materials, who could have been an indifferent
spectator Was he inspired was he divine
ly illuminated? or was the whole the effect of
natural causes These are questions which
have arisen in the minds Of many, and must
be left for the learned of two professions to
answer returned to bed deeply rejecting
upon the past, unable to sleep, when about
nine O'clock p. NJ, many hours after Kemble
had been laid by. / was called out of bed to
visit man taken suddenly i'll. in his ham,