A SAILOR S GRAVE. 151 



at the time those orders were written it was conjec- 

 tured that this was East Cape ; but both Martin 

 and myself were now of decided opinion that a 

 considerable distance yet lay between us and that 

 promontory, which, however, we were determined if 

 possible to reach or get sight of. 



The morning of the 22 nd saw us on the road to 

 Lorenne, whose principal man, Belconta by name, 

 met us about halfway, and returned with us to his 

 village. At the distance of about six miles from 

 Lorenne, we came to a rude cross of wood which, as 

 may well be imagined, engrossed all our attention 

 for the time. Halting, we examined it with scrupu- 

 lous care, and I think I know nearly every turn of 

 the grain. I made a careful sketch of it, copying the 

 Russian inscription with particular attention, and 

 now present it to my readers in forma Veritas. 

 Inquiiy elicited that a man lay buried beneath this 

 simple monument, one of the crew of a ship which 

 had visited here ; thejigfigures, 1821, on the wood 

 told when his clay returned to its kindred dust, and 

 this was all we knew of the poor departed — an instance 

 of the sailor's wayward lot and frequent sad and 

 solitary fate. 



I cut upon the cross, in two places, " H. M. S. 

 Plover," with the date, as evidence of our visit, and 



