The Washington times., 1894-05-20

this precipitous action would have been
proper enough, but 1t appeared unnecessarily
hasty to put In the river body where land
was so close and SO easily accessible, but
preparations were made in the usual way to
sew or tie the body up in canvas, In which an
iron grate-bar is inclosed as a sinker.
The Portuguese pilot on board, being a
Catholic, protested against this earnestly. in
which he was seconded by the advice OF the
consular agent, both of whom advised taking
the body to the nearest shore. The captain
argued that, as the banks were overfiowed, 1t
was more respectable to chuck him over
board and anchor him to the bottom OF the
river than to plant him in the swamps on
shore amongst alligators." The pilot knew
OF little settlement within few hours sail
ing in which was a Catholic church and q
graveyard. Though a little off the ships
course, the captain consented to allow the
pilot to land the ship at this point.
"Chips," as the ships carpenter is always
called, was ordered to make a box; all the
crew gave willing assistance-some in pre-
pairing the body, and others in assisting with
the construction of the box. do not know
now whether the dying shrieks OF the poor
fellow or the sounds of the saw and the ham
mering on the deck that moonlight night on
the Amazon in the making OF his coffin pro-
duced the most painful effect upon my nerv-
Gus system, but shall never forget it.
1t became the duty of the captain to look
into the effects OF the deceased. Upon open
ing his trunk they found eight candles, which
the Portuguese pilot said were intended for
use in Just such an emergency as had oc-
CURED, but the old captain. being Scotch
Presbyterian. objected to having ''any illumi-
nation on his DECK" so these were not
lighted but observed that when the captain
was called elsewhere tho sailors placed
lantern at the head and foot of the corpse.
The amusing part OF the painful incident
appeared in the superstitious actions and
quaint remarks OF the sailors who had charge
OF the preparations for the funeral services,
who went about their several tasks in /, So
rious way that was comical because so un-
usual to them.
The rough, unplaned lumber used on
board ships in storing cargo was in the usual
board lengths of sixteen feet the widths aver
aging foot. Though we were in the grow
ing lumber country, the captain had eau
toned "Chips" not to waste any Of his ma
terial, and to be in u hurry and "get him
boxed up" Jack and Chips had a serious
discussion in bass voices, which they at
tempted to reduce to whisper, as to the proper
proportions of the box.
Neither could prevail on the other to go
near the body to measure it. Their whispered
consultation coupled with the frightened, Curl
Gus demeanor and the surroundings, re-
minded me somewhat of the two robbers in
the chamber scene of Fra Diavalo." When
rope is too short sailor will quickly splice
it, when it is too long he coils up the end, but
when he gets hold of Il board that is too long
he does not know what to do with it. One
scratched his head and looked imploringly at
the other, who only chewed tobacco vigor-
ously. Finally they cut the sixteen-foot
boards into two equal lengths, probably the
only solution occurring to them; to cut OF
three feet would be Il waste of material. They
made a box eight feet long and broad enough
to hold not only giant but the fat woman"
In this the steward placed the body of the
little man, not five feet IN length. The cap
tain observed, as ne looked sadly on:
"Well, you've taken he'll OF lot Of stuff,
mind you, but If we do hot get him ashore
we can fill it up with coal, and that will sink
il overheard"
The same officer told me subsequently that
he was going to keep the dead mans steamer
chair as part payment of that lumber, and he
did. l saw it on board the steamer in the
Brooklyn pier when visited the captain a
year later at that point.
Along about midnight the pilot ran the big
ship into a little affluent that to US would
seem like a creek. yet deep enough on the
Amazon to float ali ocean steamer. The big
box containing the little body had been placed
in one of the ships boats, so as to be out of
sight OF the superstitious sailors, as well as
for Decentralization.
The village before which we dropped our
anchor comprised probably half dozen
matched huts a store, and the usual govern
ment shanties, and the ever present Portuguese
Catholic church with square tower. Not q
light was visible until the hoarse steam whistle
OF the ship vibrated over the still waters, and
no doubt startled the whole town from their
sleep. Then lights began to flicker like fire.
flies. The boat was quietly manned and low
cred, the Portuguese pilot going ashore to talk
and represent the captain. The first visit was
made TO the padre, or priest, of the village,
who declined either to get out OF his bed or
to allow the box containing the body to be
placed in the church until morning.
The captain had given strict orders not to
bring it back to the ship, SO the pilot and
crew rather than leave it exposed on the
shore were obliged to try to bury it them
selves.
A graveyard on the Amazon is perhaps one
Of the most gloomily desolate features of the
ertire region. Not all the beautiful foliage
and flowers of tropical vegetation can COM
pensate for the sense of utter loneliness that
oppresses the visitor who may unfortunately
have occasion to visit Brazilian cemetery
Generally the cemeteries are cleared of the |
trees, making an impression of utter barren |
ness or sore spot, in which only under |
brush grows, almost covering the innumer-
able wooden crosses that are always placed |
to be seen, the natives generally |
living SO far from settlement being obliged |
TO bury their dead in the woods adjacent to |
their huts.
On this occasion the box was carried to one |
Of these lonely Gods acres by the stout |
sailors, who were in truth trembling with |
dread. While all were anxious |
to get the body off the ship. none volunteered |
Tor this burial service in the dead Of night on |
the banks OF the Amazon, the silent stars |
only lighting their quivering footsteps. As |
ilertly as possible the men began to dig a |
hole. which was almost large enough to
cover n horse. In their haste and nervous
ness they had not carefully selected an IN
spot; probably the entire ground was
filed with bones.
While digging silently, yet energeticaly,
one of the men happened to throw up skull
in his shoyeiful of earth. As soon as the
mellow light revealed the hollow eyes and
yrinning teeth all hands jumped out of the
ialf-dug hole and ran as hard as they could
ear from the spot. 1t took good deal of
persuasion and some grog to induce the sail
ors to return to finish the unpleasant job
There were four of them. but not Il word was
Each looked about him in Il
frightened way, and at the others stepping
,ingerly. rs if treading amongst snakes. II
he spade of one of the gravediggers hap
,ened to strike root, and roots are plenti-
III III SOli. tOWu WOuiu SO the SHOVEL.
he sailor scrambling from the hole. only
prevented from running off by the stern COM
nand of the first officer.
The work had to be abandoned before it
vas properly completed. The captain. still
IN board ship, becoming impatient at the
ong delay of the party ashore, gave his
whistle fierce blast, as n signal for recall.
The suddenness with which the hoarse tones
,roke on the silent solitudes of the tropical
wilderness frightened them. As one sailor
old me, he thought the devil with horns had
made n charge on them from the shadows of
he dark forest. They refused to continue
he work, and the box was hastily lowered