Fell From Aloft.

the few seconds that I leaned oyer , and gazed down with straining eyes , seemed intensified into hours . I could see , as plainly as possible , that the little motion that the ship had , had throAvn him slightly out of a perpendicular line to the deck below , and that the chain rail of the port gangway leading i ' or ' ard from the bridge Avould break his fall . Quick almost as my thoughts had gone the strong chain was snapped , the body toppling over on to the deck beloAv . I had been poAverless to moA e , but noAv instinctively I turned and looked up at the topgallant-yardto find confirmed AA'hat

, I had knoAvn in my own mind all along—Jonas May ' s p lace Avas vacant . The spell that had held all hands breathless for a feAV seconds was broken , drill was resumed , and after all sail Avas once more set I went beloAv . I had not hoped that there would be a spark of life left after a fall of 112 feet , but on nearing the sick berth , I heard an agonizing cry of , " Let me die quietly . " I found that one arm had been almost pulled out , the other broken , one leg broken , and the other horribly smashed .

The doctors , knowing that he could not survive , attempted to place the mutilated limbs in the easiest position , but ab each touch the heart-breaking cry went up , " Let me die quietly . " No other word , nor sign—indeed I think his sufferings were so great that all outward consciousness was gone . Gradually groAving weaker as he neared the end , he breathed his last at about a quarter to eight bells ( 8 . p . m . ) . There was lots of talk during the night Avatches , as to the ill luck attendant on

sailing on a Friday , but I know that an order came out next day , signed by our Admiral , doing aAvay Avith all drill on a Sunday ; so that , as is pretty generally the case in this life , " Out of the evil good did come . " Still , to many Avho are superstitious—and nearly all sailors are—the tragic event which closed this day ' s drill will form another link in the chain of evidence necessary to prove , to the unbelieving , that it is , and always has been , and ever will le , unlucky to sail on a Friday . I have met Avith some Avho even go

so far as to include cutting nails and corns amongst the list of offences that tempt bad fortune on a Friday . Yet I can scarcely help thinking that to the most bigoted of such believers at some times must come the whisper of " a still small voice " speaking to the merciful guidance of a Hand , stronger than our oAvn to save , to the ever watchful presence of an Eye , tenderer than our OAVU to pity , to the Allwise supervision of T . G . A . O . T . U ., AA'ithout AA'hom not eA * en a sparroAv falls to the ground , Asdiose mightiest designs and lowliest works are alike beyond the mind of man .

Tes , sir , I belong to the noble order , or I should not be able to express some of those fine sentiments which have only unfolded themselves to me since I Avas baptized into light , but I Avas about to make an end of my yarn , by telling you of the " Funeral at sea " Avhich took place the next afternoon at 4 p . m . I have ahvays thought that a funeral under such circumstances is more solemn than one on shore . 'Tis true we are more like one family than the stranger gatherings you see on land , where the few figures

draped in sombre black shoAV conspicuous amongst the motley crowds that I have ' ere noAV Avitnessed assembled to do honour to their OAVU love of si ght-seeing , more than the departed . Not so Avith us . Every one is dressed in his best , —not a feAV with black silk handkerchiefs tied round their left arms , the officers Avith their swords and a like badge of crape . SloAvly the grating on Avhich the body rests , covered Avith the flag so dear to English hearts—the Union Jack—is borne up the after or officer ' s ladder , and

then down the ranks of late silent bareheaded shipmates , the band meanwhile playing softly and lovingly the " Dead March in Saul , " whilst above all the Avhite ensign hangs half-mast high . The chaplan in his AA'hite robes meets the humble cortege , at the starboard gangway , which is open—for the ship has been stopped , and is idly rocking on the glassy surface of the sea—commencing the beautiful service provided by the Liturgy of the Church of England for the Burial of the Deadthe onlchange made

, y being , " We therefore commit his bod y to the deep , " instead of " ground , " and at the word the grating is gently raised , and slides doAvn oi'er the side , Avhilst from between it and the Union Jack the body drops unseen , a heavy shot at the feet inside the canvas in Avhich it is sewn taking it down at once into the unfathomable depths of the great deep . The usual three volleys are fired , the ship is put upon her course , the grating and flag haided up by the rope to which they had been secured , the ensign is hoisted