Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-02-14
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THE
BURIAL AT SEA!
BY REV. THEo. LEDYARD cUYLER.

IL.
One evening, as | was coming out oil
the harbor of Liverpool, on board the no
BILE packet ship -, stood, leaning over
the railing Of the quarterback, watching
the steerage passengers, as they were cook
ing their suppers in the midships below
1t was a picturesque sight. AS the small
peat fire in the brazier threw its flicker
ing light on the wild, ragged group, I was
strongly reminded of the gipsey gangs
that still infest some Of the rural districts
of England. Most of them were Irish;
but [ could detect occasionally the burly
face of the English peasantry; and there
was an old German, in close scull-cap and
long, blue gown, who sat stirring his por-
ringer, like some alchemistover his magic
bowl.
Just beneath where I stood, noticed
particularly, pale, delicate woman, bend
ing over the fire, preparing her humble
meal. Sometimes she would turn around
and listen to rough, red-faced man, who
addressed her in no very gentle tones;
and sometimes she would stop to play with
two rosy children, who sat by her on a
chest. Her form was slender, and she
had once been handsome; and there was
an unmistakable air Of refinement in her
gentle manner, and the attempted neat
ness of her coarse dress, that made her,
among the squalid objects around her, like
Wordsworth's peasant girl a sunshine
in the shade" When their scanty meal
was ready, she took the youngest child
Try frfs-- cal
low behind hersewha. followed her down
the gangway, swearing fiercely as he went.
A dattering prospseEs thought |, for'this
delicate creature, VIII Il doomed to leave
home and kindred tic fender keeping
of such brute. a porcelain vase would
as well be trusted in the hands of savage =!
For young wife and mother to go far
from her native land into the wilds Of an
American forest. is hardship enough, even
with the best Of protectors; but drunken
husband 'who can bear 2"
For some days after, | noticed, by his
unsteady gait and rude treatment of every
one who approached him, that he was con-
tinually under the excitement of drink, of
which he had struggled a considerable
quantity on board. This was once very
common. especially among the Irish emf
grants, whose generous liberality to the
seamen sometimes endangered the safety
of the ship. But, thanks to merciful
God, who has sent to suffering Ireland the
GREAT APOSTLE of Temperance, this evil
is well-nigh done away, and the emigrants
from that country are now remarkable for
their quietness and sobriety.
This man, observed, from the effect of
Continued intoxication, soon became quar-
relsome; and, one day, in the heat of a
scuffle on the forecastle, he was pitched
upon the main deck, and his head struck
upon the iron cable coilel over the wind
lass. He was taken up insensible; and a
physician, who happened to be among the
cabin passengers, was called down, and
pronounced his recovery hopeless. In
the evening, [ went down to visit him. A
Storage is at best but nosome place
to sick man, it must be very black
hole Of Calcutta" The squalid beings
who herded together in the same cabin,
were gathered into silent groups at the
father extremity, and many had retreated
to the main deck. He was in the last
stages of a violent fever; accompanied
with most frightful dclerium. Over his
poor pallet bent one woman-the same
delicate form / had noticed on the first
evening; and in the intervals of his par
oxysm, her deep-drawn signs could be dis
tinctly heard. 1t was nothing to her now
that he had so lately abused her, and re-
siIed her, and even cursed her, while per-
forming for him Offices of kindness. He
was in his dying agonies; and she was his
wife, and that was enough.
I could be of nc service there, and the
scene was too much for me to bear. When
| returned to the saloon of the vessel
handsomely garnished and brilliantly
lighted, and found my fellow-passengers
lounging on the sofas, with novel in their
hands. or gathered around the whist-table
laughing and testing, / was forcibly re
minded bv the contrast of the strange
world in which we live, where joy and
sorrow are brought into startling prox
unity; and where, as in great city, there
il often but a thin wall separating the
travails of birth from the gayety OF the
bridal party and the still chamber O
death. The next morning, when | came
on deck. observed an unusual soberness
on every face. 4 group were collected
around the mainmast, gazing silently a
some object on the deck below. ! came
mn behind them, and looking over the rail
ing, I 6 felt that it was a corpse T Ate
the summary fashion on board ship, It wa
inclosed in blankets, bound around witt
koils Of rope, and stretched upon plank
I'd the feet, a large weight was soon at
taehed, and the whole was then swuni