h him and the box into the running stream. The call for help
was unavailing; none came, and soon no voices were heard, but the
following day the funeral knell was sounded by the roar of the cannon
from the gunboats, splashing shot into the river with the hope that the
vibration would resurrect the bodies of the victims from their muddy
tomb. Many of them were brought to the surface by this means.

Jack is said to have thought it a great joke, and it must be admitted
there is a grim humour in the cool audacious method of disposing of the
human obstacles which stood in his way. No argument, however eloquent,
could convince them that a murderous act had been committed. Their idea
was that no b----y foreigner had any right to question the good
intentions of a British sailor or to intercept his perambulations
either drunk or sober. Pageantry and armed force did not appeal to
them, but a kind word and an expressed desire to escort them aboard
their ship would have caused them to fall on the neck of even a foreign
soldier in adoration. The thirst for joviality often led wayward
sailors to crave for drink, and under its baneful influence they were
easily wafted into a delirium of foolhardy devices that would never
have entered the mind of the ordinary mortal.

A large barque was once in mid-ocean homeward bound, and was beating
against strong head-winds under whole topsails, courses, lower
staysails, and jib. It was the starboard watch on deck from eight p.m.
until midnight. The captain had retired for the night and left the
second mate in charge. His watch, with the exception of one man, was
composed of as fine a brood of young athletes as ever ran aloft. They
were on the most friendly terms with their officer, whose genial
disposition led him to converse with them. I daresay he was attracted
by their boisterous cordiality. Be that as it may, he either winked at
or encouraged the successful negotiations that were devised to induce
the steward to invade the grog locker, which was situated beneath the
captain's bed, and bring from it the jar which contained whiskey. At
first Jimmy the steward was obdurate.

"It cannot be done," said he, "without wakin' the aud man."

"What the devil's the good of you talking that nonsense, Jimmy?" said
the persuasive orators; "why, you know he'd sleep with his head in a
bucket of slush."

"Yes, but I'm feared he'll waken, and then there'll be an almighty
row."

"Well," replied the tempter