the uncommercial traveller-第3章

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appearance　that　day；　than　the　present　page　will　be　under　ordinary

circumstances；　after　having　been　opened　three　or　four　times。



In　that　lonely　place；　it　had　not　been　easy　to　obtain　even　such

common　commodities　in　towns；　as　ordinary　disinfectants。　　Pitch　had

been　burnt　in　the　church；　as　the　readiest　thing　at　hand；　and　the

frying…pan　in　which　it　had　bubbled　over　a　brazier　of　coals　was

still　there；　with　its　ashes。　　Hard　by　the　Communion…Table；　were

some　boots　that　had　been　taken　off　the　drowned　and　preserved　…　a

gold…digger's　boot；　cut　down　the　leg　for　its　removal　…　a　trodden…

down　man's　ankle…boot　with　a　buff　cloth　top　…　and　others　…　soaked

and　sandy；　weedy　and　salt。



From　the　church；　we　passed　out　into　the　churchyard。　　Here；　there

lay；　at　that　time；　one　hundred　and　forty…five　bodies；　that　had　come

ashore　from　the　wreck。　　He　had　buried　them；　when　not　identified；　in

graves　containing　four　each。　　He　had　numbered　each　body　in　a

register　describing　it；　and　had　placed　a　corresponding　number　on

each　coffin；　and　over　each　grave。　　Identified　bodies　he　had　buried

singly；　in　private　graves；　in　another　part　of　the　church…yard。

Several　bodies　had　been　exhumed　from　the　graves　of　four；　as

relatives　had　come　from　a　distance　and　seen　his　register；　and；　when

recognised；　these　have　been　reburied　in　private　graves；　so　that　the

mourners　might　erect　separate　headstones　over　the　remains。　　In　all

such　cases　he　had　performed　the　funeral　service　a　second　time；　and

the　ladies　of　his　house　had　attended。　　There　had　been　no　offence　in

the　poor　ashes　when　they　were　brought　again　to　the　light　of　day；

the　beneficent　Earth　had　already　absorbed　it。　　The　drowned　were

buried　in　their　clothes。　　To　supply　the　great　sudden　demand　for

coffins；　he　had　got　all　the　neighbouring　people　handy　at　tools；　to

work　the　livelong　day；　and　Sunday　likewise。　　The　coffins　were

neatly　formed；　…　I　had　seen　two；　waiting　for　occupants；　under　the

lee　of　the　ruined　walls　of　a　stone　hut　on　the　beach；　within　call　of

the　tent　where　the　Christmas　Feast　was　held。　　Similarly；　one　of　the

graves　for　four　was　lying　open　and　ready；　here；　in　the　churchyard。

So　much　of　the　scanty　space　was　already　devoted　to　the　wrecked

people；　that　the　villagers　had　begun　to　express　uneasy　doubts

whether　they　themselves　could　lie　in　their　own　ground；　with　their

forefathers　and　descendants；　by…and…by。　　The　churchyard　being　but　a

step　from　the　clergyman's　dwelling…house；　we　crossed　to　the　latter；

the　white　surplice　was　hanging　up　near　the　door　ready　to　be　put　on

at　any　time；　for　a　funeral　service。



The　cheerful　earnestness　of　this　good　Christian　minister　was　as

consolatory；　as　the　circumstances　out　of　which　it　shone　were　sad。

I　never　have　seen　anything　more　delightfully　genuine　than　the　calm

dismissal　by　himself　and　his　household　of　all　they　had　undergone；

as　a　simple　duty　that　was　quietly　done　and　ended。　　In　speaking　of

it；　they　spoke　of　it　with　great　compassion　for　the　bereaved；　but

laid　no　stress　upon　their　own　hard　share　in　those　weary　weeks；

except　as　it　had　attached　many　people　to　them　as　friends；　and

elicited　many　touching　expressions　of　gratitude。　　This　clergyman's

brother　…　himself　the　clergyman　of　two　adjoining　parishes；　who　had

buried　thirty…four　of　the　bodies　in　his　own　churchyard；　and　who　had

done　to　them　all　that　his　brother　had　done　as　to　the　larger　number

…　must　be　understood　as　included　in　the　family。　　He　was　there；　with

his　neatly　arranged　papers；　and　made　no　more　account　of　his　trouble

than　anybody　else　did。　　Down　to　yesterday's　post　outward；　my

clergyman　alone　had　written　one　thousand　and　seventy…five　letters

to　relatives　and　friends　of　the　lost　people。　　In　the　absence　of

self…assertion；　it　was　only　through　my　now　and　then　delicately

putting　a　question　as　the　occasion　arose；　that　I　became　informed　of

these　things。　　It　was　only　when　I　had　remarked　again　and　again；　in

the　church；　on　the　awful　nature　of　the　scene　of　death　he　had　been

required　so　closely　to　familiarise　himself　with　for　the　soothing　of

the　living；　that　he　had　casually　said；　without　the　least　abatement

of　his　cheerfulness；　'indeed；　it　had　rendered　him　unable　for　a　time

to　eat　or　drink　more　than　a　little　coffee　now　and　then；　and　a　piece

of　bread。'



In　this　noble　modesty；　in　this　beautiful　simplicity；　in　this　serene

avoidance　of　the　least　attempt　to　'improve'　an　occasion　which　might

be　supposed　to　have　sunk　of　its　own　weight　into　my　heart；　I　seemed

to　have　happily　come；　in　a　few　steps；　from　the　churchyard　with　its

open　grave；　which　was　the　type　of　Death；　to　the　Christian　dwelling

side　by　side　with　it；　which　was　the　type　of　Resurrection。　　I　never

shall　think　of　the　former；　without　the　latter。　　The　two　will　always

rest　side　by　side　in　my　memory。　　If　I　had　lost　any　one　dear　to　me

in　this　unfortunate　ship；　if　I　had　made　a　voyage　from　Australia　to

look　at　the　grave　in　the　churchyard；　I　should　go　away；　thankful　to

GOD　that　that　house　was　so　close　to　it；　and　that　its　shadow　by　day

and　its　domestic　lights　by　night　fell　upon　the　earth　in　which　its

Master　had　so　tenderly　laid　my　dear　one's　head。



The　references　that　naturally　arose　out　of　our　conversation；　to　the

descriptions　sent　down　of　shipwrecked　persons；　and　to　the　gratitude

of　relations　and　friends；　made　me　very　anxious　to　see　some　of　those

letters。　　I　was　presently　seated　before　a　shipwreck　of　papers；　all

bordered　with　black；　and　from　them　I　made　the　following　few

extracts。



A　mother　writes：





REVEREND　SIR。　　Amongst　the　many　who　perished　on　your　shore　was

numbered　my　beloved　son。　　I　was　only　just　recovering　from　a　severe

illness；　and　this　fearful　affliction　has　caused　a　relapse；　so　that

I　am　unable　at　present　to　go　to　identify　the　remains　of　the　loved

and　lost。　　My　darling　son　would　have　been　sixteen　on　Christmas…day

next。　　He　was　a　most　amiable　and　obedient　child；　early　taught　the

way　of　salvation。　　We　fondly　hoped　that　as　a　British　seaman　he

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