The weekly clarion., 1874-08-13
OCEAN MEROIssI.
A Trae sailor HamdsOmeIy NE.
Warded.

given up to kidnappers, libelers, liars
cuckolds, born wolves and official thieves
There comes to US now from over tn
ocean story 80 full OF all that is mobiles
and most inspiring in the aspects of hu
man nature that we eurn 10 it with glaG
relief for moment from the doleful ant
disgusting themes which have for som,
days past been forced upon US ALL
There exists IN England now an order
of merit called the Albert Medal 1t is
OF course, In some way connected witt
the Victoria Cross, and it is given, We
believe, to reward distinguished display.
of personal courage made by civilians IL
the cause of ofhumanity, just as the eros:
is given to reward like displays made by
military men in battles by land or sea.
The medal of this order, and of the
second class of the order, has, at all events
just been bestowed upon the mate of a
small Scotch brig-the Arracan. OF
Greenock-DaVid Webster by name, and
1t has been bestowed upon him for con-
duet which ought to make, and which
we are sure will make, his name a house
hold word for many generations to come,
wherever the English tongue is spoken
| or read and the hearts of men can be
stirred by manly deeds. In all modern
history there Is nothing nobler or finer,
| We need hardly say, than the story of the
| gallant British soldiers who went down.
four hundred strong, standing at "Atten-
ton" on the troOp-ship Birkenhead, thai
the women and the children on board
that fated vessel might be safely borne
to land. The picture of the unnamed
heroes and their brave commander,
Major Seton, is the proudest picture,
after all, in the gallary Of the heroic
deeds of Englishmen. When the story
of their dauntless self-devotion came to
the King OF Prussia, Frederick William
~, he ordered it to be read out at the
head of every regiment in the Prussian
army; and the stalwart Brandenburgers
and Pomeranians, as they listened, made
the air ring again with their heartfelt
cheers for these ideal soldiers. But the
brave men of the Birkenhead were many
III number. Every man of them felt the
touch at his elbow of brother soldier as
ready as himself to die in the doing of
his duty; and the magnetic symphty of
each with all made the sacrifice. terrible
as 1t was, less trying than it else had
been. The unpretending sailor upon
whom the eyes of England have been
turned by the honor which the sovereign
of his land sought to do him, bore him
self not less stoutly than the heroes of the
Blrkenhead, III circumstances surely not
less appalling; and he was alone-nay he
was worse than alone. He had with
him helpless boy to protect, and he had
against him not only the howling waves
and winds, but the cowardice, the selfish
ness, and the brutality of man revealed
in their lowest and most inhuman form.
| The Arracan traded between Shields, in
Northern England and Bombay, in Wes-
tern India. When on her outward voyage
from England in February last and far
from any shore, it was discovered that
her cargo of Goals had taken fire spontan-
eously. 1t soon became necessary to
abandon the brig; and the crew took the
boats. David Webster, the second mate,
was put in charge of the pinnace, with
three men and cabin-bay The boats
were soon compelled to separate. After
working their desolate way over the wide
ocean for fortnight, the four castaways
in the pinnace came face to face with the
frlghtful fact that their scanty stock Of
provisions had given out. No land in
sight, no ship TO hope for, what were
they to do? While Webster slept the
three famishing sailors resolved on
hideous experiment, only too familiar to
men in their sad strait. They cast lots
who should be slain to feed the survivors.
The lot, either accidentally or inciden-
tally, fell to the poor boy 1t was
CHASTITY realization of the grotesquely
horribly fancy of Thac keray, in his bal
lad Of Little Billee;"
Now Bllee he is young and tender,
Now, Biliee he i young and lender.
So fist OF AL We VIII eat he e
SO first OF ali we will taC he e.
But before the doom could be executed
David Webster woke, and with him woke
the manhood Of that wretched crew. He
interfered and saved the boys lite.
From that hour began terrible, persis-
tent conflict between the three coarse,
brutal, famishing sailors and the manful
mate protecting that poor boy. Fortu-
nately Webster was armed with gun
and ammunition. These, with his literally /
marvellous GOODNESS in those hours of |
frenzy, his selfcommand in those hours
of despotic appetite, his tenderness and |
in those hours of savage |
selfshness, made him not mate, but mas
ter of his comrades in misfortune. The |
London Times, which has supplemented |
the Queens recognition OF the brave |
Scotch sailor with the honors of a lead |
ing article in the Parliamentary season,
thus tells the rest of the fearful story.
1.-The mate and the boy now seer1 to |
have allied themselves defensively against |
their three companions; for days they |
watched by turns, and defeated several |
successive attempts against their lives. |
Madness at last assumed suicidal form |
with one of the crew, who twice endeav-
ored to sink the boat, when his attacks
upon the life of his comrades had been |
mastered. So threatening became the |
emergency that Webster felt the time had
come to check further mischief by des-
perate remedy; he took deliberate aim |
at the furious sailor who was crying for |
blood and making frantic efforts to sink /
the pinnace, but luckily his gun missed /
fire. What might next have happened,
if no help had come, it would be vain to
but as soon as Webster had
recapped his gun, bird flew over the |
boat and was shot on the instant. The |
crew tell on the prize and devoured 1T
raw, gnawing even the bones and feathers.
After the excitement Of this crisis peri /
cd of stupor followed, which lasted five
days. 1t was found that some barnac.es
had fixed themselves to the bottom of |
the boat, and that sea-blubber was to be
obtained by diving. On these scanty
supplies the shipwrecked men sustained
life, till, worn out with the continuous
strain, they broke out once more into
raging deIirium. Webster preserved not
only perfect courage, but GOODNESS and