sed the commander told him that they were too near the
nether regions. The captain rushed on deck, and in a nervous tone asked
what was the matter.

"The matter?" responded the officer, "_there_ is what's the matter.
Look at them, and if you are not satisfied that we're as near hell as
ever we will be until we get into it, I am."

The captain was agitated and tremulously stuttered:

"Why it's the baker! How piteously he pleads to be rescued, but we can
do nothing for him."

The day, hour and minute of the appearance were entered in the
log-book, and when the vessel arrived home, the tale was told and
paraphrased in a way that attracted national attention. The comparing
of notes disclosed that the entry in the log-book corresponded
chronologically with the date and time of the baker's death.

Contemporary with this traditional gentleman was a well known
shipowner, who was notoriously mean and wicked towards the sailors who
manned his ships. Prayers of a highly peculiar character were
continuously made that he should be transported to the same region of
warmth as the Baker. Of course all shipowners are relegated to these
parts when they do anything to excite the anger of Jack. But the owner
of whom I am writing had put himself beyond all forgiveness; he was an
unspeakable wretch who would stoop to the most revolting methods of
sensuality. The sanctity of homes was invaded by the fiend who carried
on a double game of starving his men and destroying all that was dear
to them. The curses that were continuously poured forth upon him from
all parts of the world cannot be spoken; they may only be imagined.
Ultimately he died amid a storm of rejoicing, and when the hearse came
to take him to the graveyard the horses are said to have refused to
carry the body. It was no sooner placed in the hearse than they went
wild and smashed the conveyance; other horses were brought up, but they
were equally obdurate and violent, and it became necessary to employ
men to carry the coffin, but only the lowest roughs could be found for
the service. The community, especially the seafaring part of it, were
convinced that his wickedness had been so great that even the devil
refused to have anything to do with him in a respectable country. He
was forthwith passed on to Stromboli to assist the Baker in his arduous
task of keeping the fires going, and for the purpose of confirming the
sailors' belief in the law of retribution. This traditional pe