174 



KIDD'S OWN JOUKNAL. 



Scarcely had we left the pier, the tide run- 

 ning down strongly with us, than a gripe on 

 our shoulder from behind — a gripe we say, 

 — nearly caused us to faint from pain. Our 

 comjpagnon de voyage in her agony, had 

 seen " a man overboard," and she viewed, 

 with a woman's eyes, "a mother's son" 

 battling the billows for his life — or Death ! ! 



A shriek of universal horror rent the air. 

 A dead silence ensued. The vessel lay to. 

 A fellow -creature, with his hands raised 

 aloft, and about to quit this world for ever, 

 was within 100 yards of us ! So sudden 

 was all this, that ere a boat could reach 

 him even from our own vessel, or from the 

 pier, we saw him (when the boat was within 

 some dozen yards of him) — raise his hands 

 for the last time, and — disappear ! The 

 fond mother's son — the sailor from London 

 Bridge, who had refused to accompany his 

 mates that same morning from the Docks to 

 Gravesend, preferring "to go back once more" 

 and let his mother " see the last of him"(pro- 

 phetic warning !) — was hurried into eternity 

 before he had quitted her arms two hours ! 

 What a moment of intense agony for all! 



We note this fact in our columns, for two 

 reasons. In the first place, with a view 

 again to raise our voice against the use of 

 ardent spirits (the poor fellow had too 

 freely indulged in " a parting cup " ere he 

 left shore) ; and, in the next place, to urge 

 upon the captains of our river-steamers the 

 necessity there is for having always ready 

 some available means to rescue unhappy 

 creatures like this. There was a boat on 

 board. It was lowered ; but it was not " in 

 readiness;" and it was some time ere it 

 could be detached and launched. Every 

 instant, under such agonising circumstances, 

 was an hour. Not a rope was thrown out ; not 

 anything whereto he could have clung for 

 support. It is supposed the poor sailor was 

 carelessly leaning against the rail, below the 

 paddle-box; and that overbalancing himself 

 he fe]l over. All was the work of an 

 instant. It came upon us as a dream. It 

 dwells with us now as a dream, but our heart 

 is still sorrowful. We think of the break- 

 ing, if not already broken heart, of that 

 dear, fond, affectionate mother, whose " soul 

 was bound up in the life of that lad " — that 

 lad her own son ! 



May Heaven in its Providence preserve 

 us, and all our readers, from ever witnessing 

 such another sight as this ! It is too horrible 

 to dwell upon ; but we would fain hope it 

 was not without its " effect " upon the minds 

 of some of the thoughtless ones. We 

 observed many of these turn pale, and their 

 paleness gave ample evidence that they 

 would not soon forget the scene and its 

 consequences of 



" A Man Over-board!" 



A PRIVATE WHISPER 



To . 



[Ladies ! Don't all speak at once.] 



Do you remember, when you heard 



My lips breathe love's first flatt'ring word? 



You do, sweet — don't you? 

 When, having wander'd all the day, 

 Lock'd arm in arm, I dared to say, — 



" You'll love me — won't you?" 



And when you blushed, and could not speak, 

 I fondly kissed your glowing cheek, 



Did that affront you? 

 Oh ! surely not ; your eyes exprest 

 No wrath, but said, perhaps in jest, — 



" You'll love me — won't you?" 



I'm sure my eyes replied, " I will," 

 And you believe that promise still ; 



You do, sweet — don't you ? 

 Yes, yes ; when age has made our eyes 

 Unfit for questions or replies, 



" You'll love me — won't you?" 



Quis Ego ? 

 ANOTHER MONSTER TELESCOPE. 



All the world are aware of the Great 

 Telescope constructed by the Earl of Eosse. 

 It has been supposed to be perfect — and not 

 to be improved upon. But we live in a 

 world of wonders. 



There is now in the course of erection, on 

 Wandsworth Common, an enormous achro- 

 matic instrument, of a power fully equal to 

 that of Lord Rosse ; and through this, the 

 object looked at can be directly magnified, 

 as with an opera glass. This wonderful 

 discovery will ere long be exhibited to the 

 public. Meantime, we give an abbreviated 

 description of the particulars furnished us 

 by a correspondent of the " Times." 



In the course of a recent ramble, he says, 

 on Wandsworth Common, our attention was 

 attracted by a singular-looking structure, 

 consisting of a plain tower with a long tube 

 slung by its side, surrounded by a wooden 

 hoarding to keep off intruders. On making 

 inquiries,we learned that it was a new monster 

 telescope on the achromatic principle, in 

 process of construction, under the superin- 

 tendence of Mr. W. Gravatt, F.R.S., for the 

 Rev. Mr. Craig, Vicar of Leamington. 

 Having obtained an introduction, we in- 

 spected the instrument, and ascertained 

 some particulars respecting it which may not 

 be uninteresting. 



The site, consisting of two acres, has been 

 liberally presented by Earl Spencer in per- 

 petuity, or so long as the telescope shall be 

 maintained. The central tower, consisting 

 of brick, is 64 feet in height, 15 feet in dia- 

 meter, and weighs 220 tons. Every pre- 

 caution has been taken in the construction 



