Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-07-27
By S. J. ROW.
Story of Danish Justice.

those who had valuable cargoes at sea, and
those who were about to retnrn to their na-
tive Ind | was one of the latter class SO
IioyfIlly accepted passage home on board
: Dane-Denmark, as yet, remaining neu-
tral in the quarrel.
So far as lGxury went, | certainly found
her very inferior to the regular India men,
but as 4 sailor she was far superior, and in
point OF disciple, her crew was as well regu-
lated. and as strictly commanded, as the
crew Of British man-of-war. In fact, such
order, regularity and implicit obedience
could never have believed to exist on board
mcIch4ntulan.
The chief mate was one of the finest young
men / ever saw. He had just been promo
ted to his present post-not from the mere
facr OF his being the owners son, but really
from sterliug merit. He was beloved by
the crew, among whom he had served, as is
usual IL the Danish service, five years, and
was equally popular with his brother officers
and the passengers returning to Europe.
The only bal character We had on board
y. Il
.ucsc, who managed somehow or other
J4.iy to cause some disturbance among the
seancn. Fer this he had often been re-
lrimauled, and this evening when this
sketch opeu5 he had just been released from
irons, mo which he had been ordered for
t-u-- -aut-twerty hours by the chief mate
tor having attempted to poison a sailor who
lal Of, ndyG Linn. In return for having
punished hia. thus severely the irritated
Portuguese swore to revenge himself on the
fist officer
The mate who was called Charles, was
Walking i'll tie waist with beautiful young
I.as.i-h girl, TO whom he was engaged to
b. married, when sullenly, ere soul could
iHte.pose, or even suspect his design, the
g. I rushed forward aud buried his knife
with one plunge into the heart OF the un
u.-J.tunate young man, wko fell, without =
r-y. Is the exultant Portuguese burst forth
ia-s i ,rmouiac laugh of triumph.
UnC,ns, ious Of the full extent of her be
Ieavcment, the poor girl hung over MIN
and d friend who rushed forward 20 support
Ir drew the knife from his bosom, with
au e.vrt the young man turned towards her,
gave her Il last look of affection, and as the
bs.le left the wound, fell corpse in The
arms Of him who held him.
By this tine the Captain had come on
dock He shed tears like a child, for he
loved the yOnng man as his own son. The
rz.>perated crew would have instantly fal- |
I'm On the assassin and taken summary ven
er-ace, but were only kept within bounds !
us their commander presence. The cook,
who appeared to glory in his deed, was in
.auriy seized and confined. The corpse
vas taken below while the wretched betroth-
Cd Was carried in state Of insensibility to
her cabin.
Fight oe!is had struck, the following
evening, when l received summons to at
tolI on deck / therefore instantly a.cen
dei aud found the whole OF the crew, dies
ted in their Sunday clothes. together with |
all the officers Of the ship and the male pas
sengers assembled. The men of duty were
lining either side Of the deck; the Captain,
surrounded by his officers, was standing i'm
mcIiately in front of the poop, and the body
Of the unfortunate victim lay stretched on a
grating-over which the national flag of
Denmark had been thrown-immediately in
the centre In an instant | saw that | was
summoned to b. present at the funeral Of
the chief mate, and my heart beat high
with grief as uncovered my head and step
ped on the quarter deck.
1t was nearly dead calm, we had passed
line; the sun had begun to decline, but still
burnt with fervent heat, the sails hung
listie>sy against the masts, and the main
sails was braided up, in order to allow the
lreyze, should any arise, to go forward i
had observed all the morning still stronger
indication OF our approach to the torrid
zone Through the clear blue water had
remarked couple of sharks following the
vessel accompanied by their usual compan-
ions. the pilot fish This the sailors had
expected as a matter of course, as they su
Fegstiti0usly believe that these monsters OF
the deep always attach themselves to ship
In which dead body lies, anxiously antici-
patiug their dreadful meal. In their ap
pearance, however, only saw the the usual
announcement of our vicinity to the line.
10 such weather, placed in ship which
seems to represent the whole world-shut
out from all save the little band which en-
c:rcled Us, with the wide and fathomless ele-
ment around us-the ethereal throne from
which God seems to look down upon Us; at
one moment our voice rising in solid prayer
for one we had loved and the next the splash
Of the divided waters, as they receive in
their bosom the creature He has made all
these, at such a moment, make the heart
thrill with deeper awe, closer fellowship
with It's Creator than any resident on shore
can know; q consciousness of the grandeur
Of God and the feeblenesS OF man, which
those alone can feel who ''go down IN ships
to see the wonder. of the deep.
took my place with the other passengers.
Not a word was spoken, for We all believed
We were about to witness the last rites over
our late friend, and consequently stood ana