, 1884-08-24
THE RETURNING DEAD.


tulioun nhITdllNc. int orleluni MdhuStilpl
Of which. written in now faded ink IN the
rough dingy paper Of sixty years ago. was
placed in my hands in the course Of a
recent visit to America, only a few words
are necessary. The narrative is addressed
10 Mrs. Rodgers and sister. and appears
10 have bern written at the request Of The
ormer lady. after its authors return from
sea on the termination Of his services Us
surgeon Of the President friaafe. the
famous fighting cruiser Of The Amer-
lean Republic in the war with
England Of 1924. Commodore
Rodgers, who commanded the - President
during the war. and who was the husband
of the lady for whom the account was
written. gave to DR.. Turks narrative his
Endorsement Of its perfect accuracy. OF
the authenticity Of the document there can
be IL possibility Of doubt.
Some time In the latter part Of Decem-
Der 1873. 4 man BY the name Of William
kemble, aged about % "a seaman On board
Of the United States frigate President,
commanded by Commodore John Rodgers,
on n cruise, then near the Western islands,,
was brought TO me from one Of the tops,
In which he was stationed. having burst Il
vessel in his lungs. being at the time in
great danger Of instant death, the blood
gushing with great violence from his
AAEAA& AAAA'A AR1AA 10 " bAAA3Al AAAAAAAAN
/ succeeded in stopping the discharge. and
he was put upon the use Of remedies suited
to his case. | visited him often. and had
the best Of opportunity Of becoming &C
quainted with his temper, habits, and in
tellectual attainments: and under all cir
cumslances, during his illness. found his
language and behavior such As stamped
him the rough, profane. and miterate sail
or. 1t Is my belief. although l caunot
positively assert ii. that he could not
either read OF write. 1t is certain that
his conversation never differed in the least
from that Of the most ignorant and aban-
doned of his associates, constantly mixed
with ouths aud the lowest vulgarity. Had
he possessed talents, or learning. he must
have betrayed II to me during his long con
finemcnt.
In the early part OF January. 1914. a
vessel bore down Upon us, with every APP
pearance of being IN English frigate. All
hands were called TO quarters. and after II
short and animated address by the com
modore to the crew. all prepared to do
their duty. Before / descended to the
cockpit, well knowing Kemble's spirit and
how anxious he would be to partake In the
glory of the victory defeat never entered
our thoughts l thought it best TO visit
him. After stating to him the peculiar
situation he was in. and the great danger
he would be exposed to by the least emo
ton. | entreated him and ordered him not
TO stir during the action. which he prom
ised TO observe. We were soon Obliged to
fire. At the sound of the first gun he
could restrain himself no longer. but re-
gardless of my admonitions and of his own
danger. he rushed upon deck and flew to
his gun. laying hold to help run her out.
A fresh and tremendous discharge
from his lungs was the consequence,
and he was brought down 10 inc
again in Il most deplorable state. | appre-
hended immediate death. but by the appli-
cation of the proper remedies | succeeded
nee more in stopping the hemorrhage. by
which he was reduced &c a state OF the
most extreme debility Being near the
equator and suffering mach from heat. his
hammock was swung on the gun-deck be
tween the ports. ailord'ng the best circu.
lation Of air. He continued for some
time free from hemorrhage. but was under
the constant use OF medicine and was con-
fined to a particular diet. This made him
~fretful. and he would frequently charge
my mates with starving him, at the same
time damning them in the true sailor
fashion. After some time, being again
called to quarters at night, he was neces-
sarily removed below to the sick berth
Commonly called bay.) This was followed
by another discharge OF blood from his
lungs, which was renewed NJ intervals
until his death.
On January II, In the afternoon, DIR.
B%irchmore, my 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 prepar-
atory to committing his remains TO the
deep. About two hours after this, DIR.
Birchmore again called on me. He said
that Kemble had come TO life, and was
holding forth 10 the sailors in Il strange
way. | directly went down. where | wit
messed one of the most remarkable and un-
accountable transactions that. perhaps,
had ever fallen TO the LOT of man to behold.
Kemble had awakened as 1t were from
sleep, raised himself up, and called for his
messmates in particular, and those men
who were not on duty. To attend to his
words. He told them he had experienced
death, but was allowed a short space of
time to return and give them. as well
future conduct in life. In this situation l
found him, surrounded by the crew, all
mute with astonishment, and paying the
most serious attention to every word that
escaped from his lips. The oldest men
were in tears, not a dry eye was TO be seen,
or a whisper heard; all was as solemn as
the grave. His whole body was rs cold as
death could make ii. There was no pulsa-
ton in his wrists. the temples. or the chest
perceptible. His voice was clear and
powerful, his eyes uncommonly brilliant
and animated. After a short and pertinent
address TO the medical gentlemen. he told
me in = peremptory manner to bring
Commodore Rodgers TO him. as lie had
.va.N1s,r .. d. -. - Ltp. 1AFa.. H. Al IL.
left US. The commodore consented to go
with me. when a scene was presented,
truly novel and indescribable. and calcu-
lated 10 fill with awe the stoutost 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. Sup
ported by the surgeons. surrounded
by his weeping and astonished
comrades, a crowd OF spectators
looking through the lattice. work which
inclosed the room, a common
japanned lamp throwing out a sickly light,
and a candle held opposite his face by an
attendant. was the situation Of things
when our worthy commander made his
appearance: and well does he remember
tue effect produced by so a
spectacle, especially when followed by the
utterance Of these words from the mouth
OF one long supposed TO have been dead:
Commodore Rodgers, nave sent for you.
sir; being commissioned by a higher power
to address you for a short time, and to de.
liver the message intrusted to me when l
was permitted TO revisit the earth. Once
l trembled in your presence, and was
eager 10 obey your commands; but now |
I'M your superior. being no longer an in
habitant of the earth. l have seen the
glories Of the world of spirits. l mn not
permitted TO make known what l have
beheld. indeed. were 1 not forbidden,
language would be Inadequate to the
task, lis enough for you and
the crew Gto know that / have
been sent back TO earth to feani-
rT.t 80 "