I was astonished at the degree of resignation and composure
with which he spoke. He pointed to his father's house, as we
approached it, and said it contained all that was dear to him upon
earth. He requested to be put on shore.
"Our Captain was intimately acquainted with the family of the
sufferer; and as the wind was light we dropped our anchor, and
complied with his request. He was placed in the boat, where I took a
seat by his side; in order to support him; and, with two boys at the
oars, we left the sloop. In a few minutes his strength began rapidly
to fail. He laid his fainting head upon my shoulder, and said he was
going to the shore to be buried with his ancestors; that this had long
been his ardent desire, and that God had heard his prayers. No sooner
had we touched the shore than one of the boys was sent to inform his
family of the event. They hastened to the boat to receive their long
lost son and brother, but we could only give them his yet warm and
lifeless corpse."
OUR ARRIVAL HOME
"After remaining a few moments with the friends of our deceased
comrade we returned to the sloop and proceeded up the river. It was
about eight o'clock in the evening when we reached Providence. There
were no quarantine regulations to detain us; but, as the yellow fever
was raging among us, we took the precaution to anchor in the middle of
the stream.
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