the uncommercial traveller-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



might　be　an　ornament　to　his　profession；　but；　'it　is　well；'　I　feel

assured　my　dear　boy　is　now　with　the　redeemed。　　Oh；　he　did　not　wish

to　go　this　last　voyage！　　On　the　fifteenth　of　October；　I　received　a

letter　from　him　from　Melbourne；　date　August　twelfth；　he　wrote　in

high　spirits；　and　in　conclusion　he　says：　　'Pray　for　a　fair　breeze；

dear　mamma；　and　I'll　not　forget　to　whistle　for　it！　and；　God

permitting；　I　shall　see　you　and　all　my　little　pets　again。　　Good…

bye；　dear　mother　…　good…bye；　dearest　parents。　　Good…bye；　dear

brother。'　　Oh；　it　was　indeed　an　eternal　farewell。　　I　do　not

apologise　for　thus　writing　you；　for　oh；　my　heart　is　so　very

sorrowful。





A　husband　writes：





MY　DEAR　KIND　SIR。　　Will　you　kindly　inform　me　whether　there　are　any

initials　upon　the　ring　and　guard　you　have　in　possession；　found；　as

the　Standard　says；　last　Tuesday？　　Believe　me；　my　dear　sir；　when　I

say　that　I　cannot　express　my　deep　gratitude　in　words　sufficiently

for　your　kindness　to　me　on　that　fearful　and　appalling　day。　　Will

you　tell　me　what　I　can　do　for　you；　and　will　you　write　me　a

consoling　letter　to　prevent　my　mind　from　going　astray？





A　widow　writes：





Left　in　such　a　state　as　I　am；　my　friends　and　I　thought　it　best　that

my　dear　husband　should　be　buried　where　he　lies；　and；　much　as　I

should　have　liked　to　have　had　it　otherwise；　I　must　submit。　　I　feel；

from　all　I　have　heard　of　you；　that　you　will　see　it　done　decently

and　in　order。　　Little　does　it　signify　to　us；　when　the　soul　has

departed；　where　this　poor　body　lies；　but　we　who　are　left　behind

would　do　all　we　can　to　show　how　we　loved　them。　　This　is　denied　me；

but　it　is　God's　hand　that　afflicts　us；　and　I　try　to　submit。　　Some

day　I　may　be　able　to　visit　the　spot；　and　see　where　he　lies；　and

erect　a　simple　stone　to　his　memory。　　Oh！　it　will　be　long；　long

before　I　forget　that　dreadful　night！　　Is　there　such　a　thing　in　the

vicinity；　or　any　shop　in　Bangor；　to　which　I　could　send　for　a　small

picture　of　Moelfra　or　Llanallgo　church；　a　spot　now　sacred　to　me？





Another　widow　writes：





I　have　received　your　letter　this　morning；　and　do　thank　you　most

kindly　for　the　interest　you　have　taken　about　my　dear　husband；　as

well　for　the　sentiments　yours　contains；　evincing　the　spirit　of　a

Christian　who　can　sympathise　with　those　who；　like　myself；　are

broken　down　with　grief。



May　God　bless　and　sustain　you；　and　all　in　connection　with　you；　in

this　great　trial。　　Time　may　roll　on　and　bear　all　its　sons　away；　but

your　name　as　a　disinterested　person　will　stand　in　history；　and；　as

successive　years　pass；　many　a　widow　will　think　of　your　noble

conduct；　and　the　tears　of　gratitude　flow　down　many　a　cheek；　the

tribute　of　a　thankful　heart；　when　other　things　are　forgotten　for

ever。





A　father　writes：





I　am　at　a　loss　to　find　words　to　sufficiently　express　my　gratitude

to　you　for　your　kindness　to　my　son　Richard　upon　the　melancholy

occasion　of　his　visit　to　his　dear　brother's　body；　and　also　for　your

ready　attention　in　pronouncing　our　beautiful　burial　service　over　my

poor　unfortunate　son's　remains。　　God　grant　that　your　prayers　over

him　may　reach　the　Mercy　Seat；　and　that　his　soul　may　be　received

（through　Christ's　intercession）　into　heaven！



His　dear　mother　begs　me　to　convey　to　you　her　heartfelt　thanks。





Those　who　were　received　at　the　clergyman's　house；　write　thus；　after


leaving　it：





DEAR　AND　NEVER…TO…BE…FORGOTTEN　FRIENDS。　　I　arrived　here　yesterday

morning　without　accident；　and　am　about　to　proceed　to　my　home　by

railway。



I　am　overpowered　when　I　think　of　you　and　your　hospitable　home。　　No

words　could　speak　language　suited　to　my　heart。　　I　refrain。　　God

reward　you　with　the　same　measure　you　have　meted　with！



I　enumerate　no　names；　but　embrace　you　all。





MY　BELOVED　FRIENDS。　　This　is　the　first　day　that　I　have　been　able　to

leave　my　bedroom　since　I　returned；　which　will　explain　the　reason　of

my　not　writing　sooner。



If　I　could　only　have　had　my　last　melancholy　hope　realised　in

recovering　the　body　of　my　beloved　and　lamented　son；　I　should　have

returned　home　somewhat　comforted；　and　I　think　I　could　then　have

been　comparatively　resigned。



I　fear　now　there　is　but　little　prospect；　and　I　mourn　as　one　without

hope。



The　only　consolation　to　my　distressed　mind　is　in　having　been　so

feelingly　allowed　by　you　to　leave　the　matter　in　your　hands；　by　whom

I　well　know　that　everything　will　be　done　that　can　be；　according　to

arrangements　made　before　I　left　the　scene　of　the　awful　catastrophe；

both　as　to　the　identification　of　my　dear　son；　and　also　his

interment。



I　feel　most　anxious　to　hear　whether　anything　fresh　has　transpired

since　I　left　you；　will　you　add　another　to　the　many　deep　obligations

I　am　under　to　you　by　writing　to　me？　　And　should　the　body　of　my　dear

and　unfortunate　son　be　identified；　let　me　hear　from　you

immediately；　and　I　will　come　again。



Words　cannot　express　the　gratitude　I　feel　I　owe　to　you　all　for　your

benevolent　aid；　your　kindness；　and　your　sympathy。





MY　DEARLY　BELOVED　FRIENDS。　　I　arrived　in　safety　at　my　house

yesterday；　and　a　night's　rest　has　restored　and　tranquillised　me。　　I

must　again　repeat；　that　language　has　no　words　by　which　I　can

express　my　sense　of　obligation　to　you。　　You　are　enshrined　in　my

heart　of　hearts。



I　have　seen　him！　and　can　now　realise　my　misfortune　more　than　I　have

hitherto　been　able　to　do。　　Oh；　the　bitterness　of　the　cup　I　drink！

But　I　bow　submissive。　　God　MUST　have　done　right。　　I　do　not　want　to

feel　less；　but　to　acquiesce　more　simply。





There　were　some　Jewish　passengers　on　board　the　Royal　Charter；　and

the　gratitude　of　the　Jewish　people　is　feelingly　expressed　in　the

following　letter　bearing　date　from　'the　office　of　the　Chief　Rabbi：'





REVEREND　SIR。　　I　cannot　refrain　from　expressing　to　you　my　heartfelt

thanks　on　behalf　of　those　of　my　flock　whose　relatives　have

unfortunately　been　among　those　who　perished　at　the　late　wreck　of

the　Royal　Charter。　　You　have；　indeed；　like　Boaz；　'not　left　off　your

kindness　to　the　living　and　the　dead。'



You　have　not　alone　acted　kindly　towards　the　living　by　receiving

them　hospitably　at　your　house；　and　energetically　assisting　them　in

their　mournful　duty；　but　also　towards　the　dead；　by　exerting

yourself　to　have　our　co…religionists　buried　in　our　ground；　and

according　to　our　rites。　　May　our　heavenly　Father　reward　you　for

your　acts　of　humanity　and　true　philanthropy！





The　'Old　Hebrew　congregation　of　Liverpool'　thus　express　themselves

through　their　secretary：





REVEREND　SIR。　　The　wardens　of　this　congregation　have　learned　with

great　pleasure　that；　in　addition　to　those　indefatigable　exertions；

at　the　scene　of　the　late　disaster　to　the　Royal　Charter；　which　have

received　universal　recognition；　you　have　very　benevolently　employed

your　valuable　efforts　to　assist　such　members　of　our　faith　as　have

sought　the　bodies　of　lost　friends　to　give　them　burial　in　our

consecrated　grounds；　with　the　observances　and　rites　prescribed　by

the　ordinances　of　our　religion。



The　wardens　desire　me　to　take　the　earliest　available　opportunity　to

offer　to　you；　on　behalf　of　our　community；　the　expression　of　their

warm　acknowledgments　and　grateful　thanks；　and　their　sincere　wishes

for　your　continued　welfare　and　prosperity。





A　Jewish　gentleman　writes：





REVEREND　AND　DEAR　SIR。　　I　take　the　opportunity　of　thanking　you

right　earnestly　for　the　promptness　you　displayed　in　answering　my

note　with　full　particulars　concerning　my　much　lamented　brother；　and

I　also　herein　beg　to　express　my　sincere　regard　for　the　willingness

you　displayed　and　for　the　facility　you　afforded　for　getting　the

remains　of　my　poor　brother　exhumed。　　It　has　been　to　us　a　most

sorrowful　and　painful　event；　but　when　we　meet　with　such　friends　as

yourself；　it　in　a　measure；　somehow　or　other；　abates　that　mental

anguish；　and　makes　the　suffering　so　much　easier　to　be　borne。

Considering　the　circumstances　connected　with　my　poor　brother's

fate；　it　does；　indeed；　appear　a　hard　one。　　He　had　been　away　in　all

seven　years；　he　returned　four　years　ago　to　see　his　family。　　He　was

then　engaged　to　a　very　amiable　young　lady。　　He　had　been　very

successful　abroad；　and　was　now　returning　to　fulfil　his　sacred　vow；

he　brought　all　his　property　with　him　in　gold　uninsured。　　We　heard

from　him　when　the　ship　stopped　at　Queenstown；　when　he　was　in　the

highest　of　hope；　and　in　a　few　short　hours　afterwards　all　was　washed

away。





Mournful　in　the　deepest　degree；　but　too　sacred　for　quotation　here；

were　the　numerous　references　to　those　miniatures　of　women　worn

round　the　necks　of　rough　men　（and　found　there　after　death）；　those

locks　of　hair；　those　scraps　of　letters；　those　many　many　slight

memorials　of　hidden　tenderness。　　One　man　cast　up　by　the　sea　bore

about　him；　printed　on　a　perforated　lace　card；　the　following

singular　（and　unavailing）　charm：





A　BLESSING。





May　the　blessing　of　God　await　thee。　　May　the　sun　of　glory　shine

around　thy　bed；　and　may　the　gates　of　plenty；　honour；　and　happiness

be　ever　open　to　thee。　　May　no　sorrow　distress　thy　days；　may　no

grief　disturb　thy　nights。　　May　the　pillow　of　peace　kiss　thy　cheek；

and　the　pleasures　of　imagination　attend　thy　dreams；　and　when　length

of　years　makes　thee　tired　of　earthly　joys；　and　the　curtain　of　death

gently　closes　around　thy　last　sleep　of　human　existence；　may　the

Angel　of　God　attend　thy　bed；　and　take　care　that　the　expiring　lamp

of　life　shall　not　receive　one　rude　blast　to　hasten　on　its

extinction。





A　sailor　had　these　devices　on　his　right　arm。　　'Our　Saviour　on　the

Cross；　the　forehead　of　the　Crucifix　and　the　vesture　stained　red；　on

the　lower　part　of　the　arm；　a　man　and　woman；　on　one　side　of　the

Cross；　the　appearance　of　a　half　moon；　with　a　face；　on　the　other

side；　the　sun；　on　the　top　of　the　Cross；　the　letters　I。H。S。；　on　the

left　arm；　a　man　and　woman　dancing；　with　an　effort　to　delineate　the

female's　dress；　under　which；　initials。'　　Another　seaman　'had；　on

the　lower　part　of　the　right　arm；　the　device　of　a　sailor　and　a

female；　the　man　holding　the　Union　Jack　with　a　streamer；　the　folds

of　which　waved　over　her　head；　and　the　end　of　it　was　held　in　her

hand。　　On　the　upper　part　of　the　arm；　a　device　of　Our　Lord　on　the

Cross；　with　stars　surrounding　the　head　of　the　Cross；　and　one　large

star　on　the　side　in　Indian　Ink。　　On　the　left　arm；　a　flag；　a　true

lover's　knot；　a　face；　and　initials。'　　This　tattooing　was　found

still　plain；　below　the　discoloured　outer　surface　of　a　mutilated

arm；　when　such　surface　was　carefully　scraped　away　with　a　knife。　　It

is　not　improbable　that　the　perpetuation　of　this　marking　custom

among　seamen；　may　be　referred　back　to　their　desire　to　be

identified；　if　drowned　and　flung　ashore。



It　was　some　time　before　I　could　sever　myself　from　the　many

interesting　papers　on　the　table；　and　then　I　broke　bread　and　drank

wine　with　the　kind　family　before　I　left　them。