5-1 MALIGNANT FEVER. 



CHAP. IV. the only son of a poor widow. Various circumstances 

 DeathTf a Combined to render the death of this young man affect- 

 passenger ing. He was of an exceedingly gentle disposition, bore 

 the marks of great sensibility, and had lei't his native 

 land against his inclination, with the view of earning an 

 independence and assisting his reluctant mother, under 

 the protection of a rich relation, who resided in the 

 island of Cuba. From the commencement of his illness 

 he had fallen into a lethargic state, interrupted by 

 accessions of delirum, and on the third day expired, 

 fidelity Another Asturian, who was still younger, did not leave 

 ment**^^' ^^^^ ^^^'^ of liis dying friend for a moment, and yet es- 

 caped tlie disea.se. He had intended to accomi)any his 

 countryman to Cuba, to be introduced by him to the 

 house of his relative, on whom all their hopes rested ; 

 and it was distressing to see his deep sorrow, and to hear 

 him curse the fatal counsels which had thrown him 

 into a foreign climate, where he found himself alone and 

 destitute. 

 Melancholy " We were assembled on the deck," says our eloquent 

 Impressions, author, " absorljed in melancholy reflections. It was 

 no longer doul)tful that the fever which j)revailed on 

 board had of late assumed a fatal character. Our eyes 

 were fixed on a mountainous and desert coast, on which 

 the moon shone at intervals through the clouds. The 

 sea, gently agitated, glowed with a feeble phosphoric 

 light. No sound came on tlie car save the monotonous 

 cry of some large sea-birds that seemed to be seeking 

 tile shore. A deep calm reignfd in these solitary 

 places ; but tliis calm of external nature accorded ill 

 witli tiie jjainful feelings wliich agitated us. About 

 Dcatli-bcU. eight tiie death-bell was slowly tolled. At this doleful 

 signal the sailors ceased from their work, and threw 

 themselves on their knees to offer up a short prayer, — 

 an afil-eting ceremony, which, while it recalls the times 

 when tlic primitive Ciiristians considered tliemselves as 

 members of tiie same family, seems to unite men by the 

 feeling of a common evil. In the course of the night 

 the body of the Asturian was brought upon deck, and 



