, 1884-08-24

mate for a few hours my lifeless body
Commissioned by God to perform tho work
] nm nov engaged in He then IN Ian
guagr 80 Claste md appropriate as would
not nave disgnAced the lips or the pen Of u
divine. took n hasty view Of the moral and
religious duties incumbent Oh the com
mandcr OF Il ship of war. He reviewed
the vices prevalent on ship-bonrd. pointed
OUT the relative duties OF officers and men,
and concluded by urging the necessity OF
information and repentance. He did not.
H. was feared by our brave commander.
attempt TO prove the sinfulness of sighting
and wars: but. on the contrary. warmly
recommended to the men the performance
of their duty to their country with cour-
age and fidelity. His speeches occupied
about ~three-auariers Of IN hour. and if the
whole could have been taken down nj the
lime. they would have made Il con-iirru
bic pamphlet which would. no doubt.
have been in great demand. DR.. Birch
more now al Boston. heard all the ad.
dresses. | only the last.
When he finished with the commodore
his head dropped upon his breast. his eyes
closed ind he Appeared 10 have passed.
through a second death. No pulSltion
nor the least degree OF warmth could be
perceived during the time that he was
speaking. l ordered him to be laid aside.
and left him.
Il retired to bed. deeply rejecting upon
the past, unable 10 sleep. when about 8
o'clock p. M, many hours after Kemble
had been laid by, | was called out of bed 10
visit a man taken suddenly Ill in his hmm
mock, hanging near Kemble's apartment
1t was an hour when all but the watch on
deck had turned in; general silence reigned
and all the lights below, with the excep
lion of a single lamp In the sick apart
ment. where lay the remains Of Kemble.
| had bled the sick mamie was relieved
| entered the sick-room before | retired, 10
replace something, and was turning round
to leave it. being alone. when suddenly |
was almost petrifed upon beholding KEN
BILE sitting up in his berth. with his eyes
(Which had regained their former
brilliancy and i%ntelligence) fixed intently
upon mine. | became, for Il moment.
SPECIFICS and motionless. Thinks | To
myself. what have / done, or left undone.
in this mans case. that should cause him
thus to stare at me, at this late hour, and
alones | waited a long time in painful
suspense. dreading some horrible disclos
ure, when l was relieved by his command
ing me to fetch him some water. With
what alacrity l obeyed can easily be imag-
ined. [ gave him a tin mug containing
water. which be put to his mouth. drank
off the contents. and returned to me; ten
laid himself quietly down for the last time.
His situation was precisely the same in
every respect as before described. The
time was now expired which, he had said,
was given him to remain in the body. The
next day by noon, all hands attended as
usual to hear the funeral service read and
see his remains consigned 10 q watery
grave. 1t was an unusually solemn period.
Seamen are naturally superstitious, and on
this occasion their minds had been
wrought upon in a singular manner
Decorum is always observed BY sailors at
such times; but now they were all
affected to tears. and when the body
was slid from the plank into the
sea. everyone rushed instinctively to the
ships side 10 take a last look. The usual
weights had been attached to the feet. yet.
as il in compliment TO their anxiety TO see
more of him. the body rose perpendicu
larry from the water breast-high two or
three times. This incident added greatly
TO the establishment already created in the
minds of the men | beg leave 10 remark
hat it was not thought proper to keep the
body longer In the warm latitude we wer
In.
Il have now given II short aud very i'm
perfect sketch Of the important events at
tending the last illness and death of Will
lam Kemble. 1t is submitted TO the ladies
in this state. begging they will excuse haste
and inaccuracy. The change produced
upon the crew was for a time very remark
able. 1t appeared rs if they would never
smile or swear again. The effect wore off
by degrees. except when the subject was
renewed. W. TURK.