The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-05-04
A SAILORS BURIAL.
A Graphic Account Of a Burial at
Sea.
New YOrk Tablet.

New York Tablet
When maritime Jack dies he IS
buried without undue ceremony. A
brief prayer, shotted hammoh the
lee rail, and all is over. But on board
ship of war sailors funeral IS
pathetic in its dignifed simplicity.
No muster of the ships company is,
naturally, SO sad as this, and you can
see on the faces of all when the
subdued shrilling of the bo'sw'n's
whistle is followed by the long drawn
ont and modulated call of " All hands
to bury the dead" The men come
aft quickly and take their allotted
stations. TO lee-ward, if it be at sea,
or upon the port side of the quarter
deck if in port, the seamen are ranged
in the front rank behind them are
the ordinary seamen; and in the rear
of both, the apprentices and the lands
men. In this the gangway forward OF
the mainmast, on such ships as still
have sail power, senior petty officers
stand at attention. Around the
coffin, folded in the jack or national
ensign, are grouped the pallbearers,
selected usually from the dead mans
mess or gun division, and close at
hand, resting on arms, the marine
guard is paraded. Nearest the coffin
are the chaplain and the captain, and
then in order of their rank stretch aft
the other officers of the ship.
The ensign at the peak or staff flut-
tiers tremblingly at half mast, and
from overhead the yard and stay
tackles swing lazily, ready to lift the
coffin cupboard. When the weather
permits the way Of the ship is stopped,
and, it may be. little fickers of idling
steam curl upward and lee ward like
incense, and the wind in the backed
aud fretting topsails murmurs dirge.
The order to "uncover' is passed
gently, and while the beautiful words
Of the burial service are being read the
hush of the living is aCcentuated by
the low accomplishments of sea sounds
by the rumble of eager waters
eddying sternward, and by the surging
Of the breeze in the hollows 0 f the can
vas and through the rigging and gear.
When the closing prayer is said, the
last blessing given, the tackles are
manned, the coffin is stripped of its
flags and sinnG in straps, and slowly,
rcverently, is hoisted above the rail
and clear of the ship, until it is poised
above the pillows. The marines load,
aim, fire, in all three volleys, that
awaken rafting echoes in the hidden
space of the ship; the bugle sounds
"taps' tenderly and sweelly, with a
newer meaning of sleep and rest !; the
coffin swings further out, and is
lowered gently until the foam and
spoondrift moisten it; the tackles are
detached sudden jerk, and in an
instant the weighted box shoots
downward, bedded in foam and bub-
bles, and all is over until the sea gives
up the dead.
In a little while the CHEEKY whistles
thrill out a call Of duty, the half
masted ensign climbs to the dasher
block, the ship is brought to her
course and dazedly the men take up
the wearying routine of the lives SO
sadly broken. An unusual quiet rests
upon the vessel and around the mess
table; but in the groups gathered to
smoke during the supper hour and
after the hammocks are piped down,
the vlrtues-lhose heroic and honest
sea virtues-of the dead sailor are
recalled and with tenderness born of
comradeship closer than any other
men except soldiers may know.