1854.] DEAD MEN'S EFFECTS AND WILLS. 93 



My course led me on to the grave which our seamen 

 were digging, near the Observatory. At this season this 

 proved a very difficult operation, the ground being frozen 

 at one foot below the surface gravel, or, more properly, 

 comminuted limestone ; for gravel, properly so called, 

 does not exist in this neighbourhood. Such work we 

 found tried our tools severely, and from the low tempe- 

 rature rendering the metal brittle, they flew like glass. 

 With loose stone and ice it is easier than with clay, which 

 is absolutely attended with danger, splintering like glass. 



Seamen are generally disposed to follow out the last 

 duties to their deceased messmates to the extreme of 

 their available means, and, as in the case of our Marine 

 deposited on Mount Beaufort, the coffin was covered 

 with fine blue cloth. As I was unable at the moment 

 to attend to the funeral service, and necessity did not 

 call for the immediate exposure of all hands to the pre- 

 sent biting temperature, I found it more convenient to 

 deposit the coffin on the covered-in forecastle of the 

 c Pioneer' until a warmer opportunity favoured. But 

 when wall seamen cease to be superstitious, or when will 

 educated men cease to foster such prejudices ? 



Quitting this question, another arises, on the will of a 

 person dying at sea. In the Admiralty Instructions no- 

 thing satisfactory on this subject is to be found, but the 

 chattels and effect of every person dying at sea are " to be 

 sold at the mast." This brings to my recollection a very 

 interesting case which occurred in the year 1823, on 

 board H.M.S. Salisbury, at Bermuda. A mate, named 

 Wharton, was drowned ; he having a presentiment that 

 his death would be sudden, and, as it happened, ob- 



