Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ceremonial Of The Execution Ofrichard Parker, For Mutiny.
recited , wlucn tiie Prisoner heard with great attention , and bowed his head , as if in assent , at the close of it . He now askedjhe Captain , ' whether he mi ght be allowed to speak ? ' and immediatel y apprehending his intention mi ght be misconceived , he added , 'lam not going , Sir , to address the ship ' s company / I wish onl y to declare , that / acknowledge the justice of the sentence under which I suffer , and I hope my death will be deemed a sufficient atonementand save the lives of others !'
, He now requested ' a minute to collect himsel f , ' and knelt down alone about that space of time ; then rising up , said , ' I am ready : ' and holding his head up with considerable dignity , said to the Boatwain ' s Mate , ' take off my handkerchief ( of black silk ) , which being done , the Martial-Provost p laced the' halter over his head , ( which had been prepared with grease ) ; but doing itaukwardly , the Prisoner said
rather hastil y to the Boatswain's Mate , ' Do you do it , Jack , for he seems le know nothing about it . ' The halter was then spliced to the reefed rope . All this being adjusted , the Martial attempted to put a cap on , which he refused ; but on being told it was indispensable , he submitted , requesting it mi g ht not be pulled over his eyes till he desired it . He then turned round , for the first timeand a
steady-^ , gave . look at his shipmates on the forecastle , and , with an affectionate kind of smile , nodded his head , and said , ' Good bye to you ! ' He now said , 'Captain Moss , is the gun primed ? ' ' It is . ' ¦ ' Is the match ali ght ?' c All is ready . ' On . this he advanced a little , and said , ' Will am
gentleman be so good as to lend ? ne a white handkerchief for the signal ?' After some little pause , a gentleman stepped forward , and gave him one ; to whom bowing , he returned his thanks " . He now ascended the platform , ' repeated the same questions about the gun , evidently to gain the time he wished for the perfect completion of what he had preconcerted in his own mind , then the cap being drawn over his face '
, walking b y firm degreesup to the extremity of the scaffold , he dropped the handkerchief , put his hands in his coat-pockets with . great rapidity , and at the moment he was springing off , the fatal bowgun fired , and the reef-rope catching him , run him up , though not witn great velocity , to the yard-arm!—When suspended about midway , by the elasticity of the ropehis bod appeared extremel
, y y convulsed for a few seconds , immediately after which no appearance of Life remained . It being tide of ebb , the starboard yard-arm pointed to the Isle of Grain , where scaffolding was erected for spectators ort shore : a considerable number of yachts , cutters , and other craft , surrounded the Sandwich . The last time the Prisoner knelt with the Chaplain at the cat-head , though he made his responses regularly , his attention
was particularl y directed the whole time to the armed boats o ^ the Aeet , which were p lying round on duty . The whole conduct o « this awful ceremony was extremel y decorous and impressive : it was evident , from die countenances of the Sandwich , that the general eeling for the fate of their mutinous Conductor was such as mi ght w ; wished ; not a . word—and scarce a whisper was heard among
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ceremonial Of The Execution Ofrichard Parker, For Mutiny.
recited , wlucn tiie Prisoner heard with great attention , and bowed his head , as if in assent , at the close of it . He now askedjhe Captain , ' whether he mi ght be allowed to speak ? ' and immediatel y apprehending his intention mi ght be misconceived , he added , 'lam not going , Sir , to address the ship ' s company / I wish onl y to declare , that / acknowledge the justice of the sentence under which I suffer , and I hope my death will be deemed a sufficient atonementand save the lives of others !'
, He now requested ' a minute to collect himsel f , ' and knelt down alone about that space of time ; then rising up , said , ' I am ready : ' and holding his head up with considerable dignity , said to the Boatwain ' s Mate , ' take off my handkerchief ( of black silk ) , which being done , the Martial-Provost p laced the' halter over his head , ( which had been prepared with grease ) ; but doing itaukwardly , the Prisoner said
rather hastil y to the Boatswain's Mate , ' Do you do it , Jack , for he seems le know nothing about it . ' The halter was then spliced to the reefed rope . All this being adjusted , the Martial attempted to put a cap on , which he refused ; but on being told it was indispensable , he submitted , requesting it mi g ht not be pulled over his eyes till he desired it . He then turned round , for the first timeand a
steady-^ , gave . look at his shipmates on the forecastle , and , with an affectionate kind of smile , nodded his head , and said , ' Good bye to you ! ' He now said , 'Captain Moss , is the gun primed ? ' ' It is . ' ¦ ' Is the match ali ght ?' c All is ready . ' On . this he advanced a little , and said , ' Will am
gentleman be so good as to lend ? ne a white handkerchief for the signal ?' After some little pause , a gentleman stepped forward , and gave him one ; to whom bowing , he returned his thanks " . He now ascended the platform , ' repeated the same questions about the gun , evidently to gain the time he wished for the perfect completion of what he had preconcerted in his own mind , then the cap being drawn over his face '
, walking b y firm degreesup to the extremity of the scaffold , he dropped the handkerchief , put his hands in his coat-pockets with . great rapidity , and at the moment he was springing off , the fatal bowgun fired , and the reef-rope catching him , run him up , though not witn great velocity , to the yard-arm!—When suspended about midway , by the elasticity of the ropehis bod appeared extremel
, y y convulsed for a few seconds , immediately after which no appearance of Life remained . It being tide of ebb , the starboard yard-arm pointed to the Isle of Grain , where scaffolding was erected for spectators ort shore : a considerable number of yachts , cutters , and other craft , surrounded the Sandwich . The last time the Prisoner knelt with the Chaplain at the cat-head , though he made his responses regularly , his attention
was particularl y directed the whole time to the armed boats o ^ the Aeet , which were p lying round on duty . The whole conduct o « this awful ceremony was extremel y decorous and impressive : it was evident , from die countenances of the Sandwich , that the general eeling for the fate of their mutinous Conductor was such as mi ght w ; wished ; not a . word—and scarce a whisper was heard among