shouldhavelikedtohavehaditotherwise,Imustsubmit。Ifeel,fromallIhaveheardofyou,thatyouwillseeitdonedecentlyandinorder。Littledoesitsignifytous,whenthesoulhasdeparted,wherethispoorbodylies,butwewhoareleftbehindwoulddoallwecantoshowhowwelovedthem。Thisisdeniedme,butitisGod’shandthatafflictsus,andItrytosubmit。SomedayImaybeabletovisitthespot,andseewherehelies,anderectasimplestonetohismemory。Oh!itwillbelong,longbeforeIforgetthatdreadfulnight!Istheresuchathinginthevicinity,oranyshopinBangor,towhichIcouldsendforasmallpictureofMoelfraorLlanallgochurch,aspotnowsacredtome?
Anotherwidowwrites:
Ihavereceivedyourletterthismorning,anddothankyoumostkindlyfortheinterestyouhavetakenaboutmydearhusband,aswellforthesentimentsyourscontains,evincingthespiritofaChristianwhocansympathisewiththosewho,likemyself,arebrokendownwithgrief。
MayGodblessandsustainyou,andallinconnectionwithyou,inthisgreattrial。Timemayrollonandbearallitssonsaway,butyournameasadisinterestedpersonwillstandinhistory,and,assuccessiveyearspass,manyawidowwillthinkofyournobleconduct,andthetearsofgratitudeflowdownmanyacheek,thetributeofathankfulheart,whenotherthingsareforgottenforever。
Afatherwrites:
IamatalosstofindwordstosufficientlyexpressmygratitudetoyouforyourkindnesstomysonRicharduponthemelancholyoccasionofhisvisittohisdearbrother’sbody,andalsoforyourreadyattentioninpronouncingourbeautifulburialserviceovermypoorunfortunateson’sremains。GodgrantthatyourprayersoverhimmayreachtheMercySeat,andthathissoulmaybereceivedthroughChrist’sintercessionintoheaven!
Hisdearmotherbegsmetoconveytoyouherheartfeltthanks。
Thosewhowerereceivedattheclergyman’shouse,writethus,afterleavingit:
DEARANDNEVER-TO-BE-FORGOTTENFRIENDS。Iarrivedhereyesterdaymorningwithoutaccident,andamabouttoproceedtomyhomebyrailway。
IamoverpoweredwhenIthinkofyouandyourhospitablehome。Nowordscouldspeaklanguagesuitedtomyheart。Irefrain。Godrewardyouwiththesamemeasureyouhavemetedwith!
Ienumeratenonames,butembraceyouall。
MYBELOVEDFRIENDS。ThisisthefirstdaythatIhavebeenabletoleavemybedroomsinceIreturned,whichwillexplainthereasonofmynotwritingsooner。
IfIcouldonlyhavehadmylastmelancholyhoperealisedinrecoveringthebodyofmybelovedandlamentedson,Ishouldhavereturnedhomesomewhatcomforted,andIthinkIcouldthenhavebeencomparativelyresigned。
Ifearnowthereisbutlittleprospect,andImournasonewithouthope。
Theonlyconsolationtomydistressedmindisinhavingbeensofeelinglyallowedbyyoutoleavethematterinyourhands,bywhomIwellknowthateverythingwillbedonethatcanbe,accordingtoarrangementsmadebeforeIleftthesceneoftheawfulcatastrophe,bothastotheidentificationofmydearson,andalsohisinterment。
IfeelmostanxioustohearwhetheranythingfreshhastranspiredsinceIleftyou;willyouaddanothertothemanydeepobligationsIamundertoyoubywritingtome?Andshouldthebodyofmydearandunfortunatesonbeidentified,letmehearfromyouimmediately,andIwillcomeagain。
WordscannotexpressthegratitudeIfeelIowetoyouallforyourbenevolentaid,yourkindness,andyoursympathy。
MYDEARLYBELOVEDFRIENDS。Iarrivedinsafetyatmyhouseyesterday,andanight’sresthasrestoredandtranquillisedme。I
mustagainrepeat,thatlanguagehasnowordsbywhichIcanexpressmysenseofobligationtoyou。Youareenshrinedinmyheartofhearts。
Ihaveseenhim!andcannowrealisemymisfortunemorethanIhavehithertobeenabletodo。Oh,thebitternessofthecupIdrink!
ButIbowsubmissive。GodMUSThavedoneright。Idonotwanttofeelless,buttoacquiescemoresimply。
ThereweresomeJewishpassengersonboardtheRoyalCharter,andthegratitudeoftheJewishpeopleisfeelinglyexpressedinthefollowingletterbearingdatefrom’theofficeoftheChiefRabbi:’
REVERENDSIR。IcannotrefrainfromexpressingtoyoumyheartfeltthanksonbehalfofthoseofmyflockwhoserelativeshaveunfortunatelybeenamongthosewhoperishedatthelatewreckoftheRoyalCharter。Youhave,indeed,likeBoaz,’notleftoffyourkindnesstothelivingandthedead。’
Youhavenotaloneactedkindlytowardsthelivingbyreceivingthemhospitablyatyourhouse,andenergeticallyassistingthemintheirmournfulduty,butalsotowardsthedead,byexertingyourselftohaveourco-religionistsburiedinourground,andaccordingtoourrites。MayourheavenlyFatherrewardyouforyouractsofhumanityandtruephilanthropy!
The’OldHebrewcongregationofLiverpool’thusexpressthemselvesthroughtheirsecretary:
REVERENDSIR。Thewardensofthiscongregationhavelearnedwithgreatpleasurethat,inadditiontothoseindefatigableexertions,atthesceneofthelatedisastertotheRoyalCharter,whichhavereceiveduniversalrecognition,youhaveverybenevolentlyemployedyourvaluableeffortstoassistsuchmembersofourfaithashavesoughtthebodiesoflostfriendstogivethemburialinourconsecratedgrounds,withtheobservancesandritesprescribedbytheordinancesofourreligion。
Thewardensdesiremetotaketheearliestavailableopportunitytooffertoyou,onbehalfofourcommunity,theexpressionoftheirwarmacknowledgmentsandgratefulthanks,andtheirsincerewishesforyourcontinuedwelfareandprosperity。
AJewishgentlemanwrites:
REVERENDANDDEARSIR。Itaketheopportunityofthankingyourightearnestlyforthepromptnessyoudisplayedinansweringmynotewithfullparticularsconcerningmymuchlamentedbrother,andIalsohereinbegtoexpressmysincereregardforthewillingnessyoudisplayedandforthefacilityyouaffordedforgettingtheremainsofmypoorbrotherexhumed。Ithasbeentousamostsorrowfulandpainfulevent,butwhenwemeetwithsuchfriendsasyourself,itinameasure,somehoworother,abatesthatmentalanguish,andmakesthesufferingsomucheasiertobeborne。
Consideringthecircumstancesconnectedwithmypoorbrother’sfate,itdoes,indeed,appearahardone。Hehadbeenawayinallsevenyears;hereturnedfouryearsagotoseehisfamily。Hewasthenengagedtoaveryamiableyounglady。Hehadbeenverysuccessfulabroad,andwasnowreturningtofulfilhissacredvow;
hebroughtallhispropertywithhimingolduninsured。WeheardfromhimwhentheshipstoppedatQueenstown,whenhewasinthehighestofhope,andinafewshorthoursafterwardsallwaswashedaway。
Mournfulinthedeepestdegree,buttoosacredforquotationhere,werethenumerousreferencestothoseminiaturesofwomenwornroundthenecksofroughmenandfoundthereafterdeath,thoselocksofhair,thosescrapsofletters,thosemanymanyslightmemorialsofhiddentenderness。Onemancastupbytheseaboreabouthim,printedonaperforatedlacecard,thefollowingsingularandunavailingcharm:
MaytheblessingofGodawaitthee。Maythesunofgloryshinearoundthybed;andmaythegatesofplenty,honour,andhappinessbeeveropentothee。Maynosorrowdistressthydays;maynogriefdisturbthynights。Maythepillowofpeacekissthycheek,andthepleasuresofimaginationattendthydreams;andwhenlengthofyearsmakestheetiredofearthlyjoys,andthecurtainofdeathgentlyclosesaroundthylastsleepofhumanexistence,maytheAngelofGodattendthybed,andtakecarethattheexpiringlampoflifeshallnotreceiveonerudeblasttohastenonitsextinction。
Asailorhadthesedevicesonhisrightarm。’OurSaviourontheCross,theforeheadoftheCrucifixandthevesturestainedred;onthelowerpartofthearm,amanandwoman;ononesideoftheCross,theappearanceofahalfmoon,withaface;ontheotherside,thesun;onthetopoftheCross,thelettersI。H。S。;ontheleftarm,amanandwomandancing,withanefforttodelineatethefemale’sdress;underwhich,initials。’Anotherseaman’had,onthelowerpartoftherightarm,thedeviceofasailorandafemale;themanholdingtheUnionJackwithastreamer,thefoldsofwhichwavedoverherhead,andtheendofitwasheldinherhand。Ontheupperpartofthearm,adeviceofOurLordontheCross,withstarssurroundingtheheadoftheCross,andonelargestaronthesideinIndianInk。Ontheleftarm,aflag,atruelover’sknot,aface,andinitials。’Thistattooingwasfoundstillplain,belowthediscolouredoutersurfaceofamutilatedarm,whensuchsurfacewascarefullyscrapedawaywithaknife。Itisnotimprobablethattheperpetuationofthismarkingcustomamongseamen,maybereferredbacktotheirdesiretobeidentified,ifdrownedandflungashore。
ItwassometimebeforeIcouldsevermyselffromthemanyinterestingpapersonthetable,andthenIbrokebreadanddrankwinewiththekindfamilybeforeIleftthem。AsIbroughttheCoast-guarddown,soItookthePostmanback,withhisleathernwallet,walking-stick,bugle,andterrierdog。Manyaheart-brokenletterhadhebroughttotheRectoryHousewithintwomonthsmany;
abenignantlypainstakinganswerhadhecarriedback。
AsIrodealong,Ithoughtofthemanypeople,inhabitantsofthismothercountry,whowouldmakepilgrimagestothelittlechurchyardintheyearstocome;IthoughtofthemanypeopleinAustralia,whowouldhaveaninterestinsuchashipwreck,andwouldfindtheirwayherewhentheyvisittheOldWorld;IthoughtofthewritersofallthewreckoflettersIhadleftuponthetable;andIresolvedtoplacethislittlerecordwhereitstands。
Convocations,Conferences,DiocesanEpistles,andthelike,willdoagreatdealforReligion,Idaresay,andHeavensendtheymay!
butIdoubtiftheywilleverdotheirMaster’sservicehalfsowell,inallthetimetheylast,astheHeavenshaveseenitdoneinthisbleakspotupontheruggedcoastofWales。
HadIlostthefriendofmylife,inthewreckoftheRoyalCharter;hadIlostmybetrothed,themorethanfriendofmylife;
hadIlostmymaidendaughter,hadIlostmyhopefulboy,hadI
lostmylittlechild;Iwouldkissthehandsthatworkedsobusilyandgentlyinthechurch,andsay,’Nonebettercouldhavetouchedtheform,thoughithadlainathome。’Icouldbesureofit,I
couldbethankfulforit:Icouldbecontenttoleavethegravenearthehousethegoodfamilypassinandoutofeveryday,undisturbed,inthelittlechurchyardwheresomanyaresostrangelybroughttogether。
Withoutthenameoftheclergymantowhom-Ihope,notwithoutcarryingcomforttosomeheartatsometime-Ihavereferred,myreferencewouldbeasnothing。HeistheReverendStephenRooseHughes,ofLlanallgo,nearMoelfra,Anglesey。HisbrotheristheReverendHughRobertHughes,ofPenrhos,Alligwy。
Myday’sno-businessbeckoningmetotheEast-endofLondon,IhadturnedmyfacetothatpointofthemetropolitancompassonleavingCovent-garden,andhadgotpasttheIndiaHouse,thinkinginmyidlemannerofTippoo-SahibandCharlesLamb,andhadgotpastmylittlewoodenmidshipman,afteraffectionatelypattinghimononelegofhisknee-shortsforoldacquaintance’sake,andhadgotpastAldgatePump,andhadgotpasttheSaracen’sHeadwithanignominiousrashofpostingbillsdisfiguringhisswarthycountenance,andhadstrolleduptheemptyyardofhisancientneighbourtheBlackorBlueBoar,orBull,whodepartedthislifeI
don’tknowwhen,andwhosecoachesareallgoneIdon’tknowwhere;
andIhadcomeoutagainintotheageofrailways,andIhadgotpastWhitechapelChurch,andwas-ratherinappropriatelyforanUncommercialTraveller-intheCommercialRoad。Pleasantlywallowingintheabundantmudofthatthoroughfare,andgreatlyenjoyingthehugepilesofbuildingbelongingtothesugarrefiners,thelittlemastsandvanesinsmallbackgardensinbackstreets,theneighbouringcanalsanddocks,theIndiavanslumberingalongtheirstonetramway,andthepawnbrokers’shopswherehard-upMateshadpawnedsomanysextantsandquadrants,thatIshouldhaveboughtafewcheapifIhadtheleastnotionhowtousethem,Iatlastbegantofileofftotheright,towardsWapping。
NotthatIintendedtotakeboatatWappingOldStairs,orthatI
wasgoingtolookatthelocality,becauseIbelieveforIdon’t