File:The tragedy of the seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine (1841) (14777617645).jpg

Identifier: tragedyofseasors00ellm (find matches)
Title: The tragedy of the seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine ..
Year: 1841 (1840s)
Authors: Ellms, Charles
Subjects: Shipwrecks
Publisher: New York, Collins, Keese & Co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
e:in broken accents, the dying wretch implored for mercy —mercy in a plague ship ! He was swayed over the side, sus-pended for a moment in mid air, as the seaman on the yarddrew forth the knife from his girdle, opened it with his teeth,and severed the cord : a splash, one faint struggle, and thewild waves rolled over him forever. I affect no mawkish sentiment, nor describe any over-wrought feelings; but never, to the latest hours of my ex-istence, will that mans look be effaced from my memory —never will the chill of horror which crept over me at theenactment of the last part of the tragedy be forgotten. Irejoined my companions; but felt faint and sick. Almost indifferent to my own fate at the moment, Ilistened with apathy to an old Greek merchant, who wasrelating the manner in which the plague had been broughton board. What will not man risk for gain ? Our com-mander, six days before we left, had received, and kept con^cealed in a boat towing astern, five plague patients from an-
Text Appearing After Image:
A Man, whilst sick with the Plague, is drawn up to the Yard Arm, and cut downby a Maltese Sailor — Page ^32. THE PHILOSOPHY OF A TURK. 335 Other vessel; and although, when the ship sailed, but twosurvived, those two were permitted, without mention beingmade of it, to mix with the crew. Under such circum-stances, the only wonder is, that it should have concealeditself so long. Those who had indulged the hope that theirriddance of the last patient had exterminated the pestilence,were again doomed to disappointment. Ere the sun hadset, two more were attacked, and about eight oclock a third :all were transferred to the long-boat. Not a hope of our escaping if we remained at sea wasnow cherished, and the vessels head was accordingly putfor Rhodes. In the course of an hour, the Mohammedanportion of the crew were already wrapped in slumber; theChristians (principally Italians and Greeks) were eitherscattered or in silent groups ; here and there a sohtary indi-vidual was in thought at home,

Note About Images