[start of section in Edith Southey’s hand]

The Sailor

Who had served in the Slave Trade.¹

He stopt. – it surely was a groan That from the hovel came! He stopt & listened anxiously Again it sounds the same.

It surely from the hovel comes And now he hastens there – And thence he hears the name of Christ Amidst a broken prayer.

He enterd in the hovel now – A sailor there he sees. His hands were lifted up to heaven And he was on his knees.

Nor did the sailor so intent His entering footsteps heed, But now the Lords prayer said, & now His half forgotten creed.

And often on his saviour calld With many a bitter groan, In such heart anguish as could spring From deepest guilt alone.

He askd the miserable man Why he was kneeling there, And what the crime had been that causd The anguish of his prayer.

Oh I have done a wicked thing It haunts me night & day – And I have sought this lonely place Here undisturbd to pray.

I have no place to pray on board So I came here alone, That I might freely kneel & pray, And call on Christ and groan.

If to the main-mast head I go, The wicked one is there, From place to place, from rope to rope He follows every where.

I shut my eyes – it matters not – Still still the same I see, – And when I lie me down at night Tis always day with me.

He follows follows every where And every place is hell – O God – & I must go with him In endless fire to dwell.

He follows follows every where, Hes still above – below, Oh tell me where to fly from him! Oh tell me where to go.

But tell me, quoth the Stranger then. What this thy crime hath been, So haply I may comfort give To one that grieves for sin.

Oh I have done a cursed deed The wretched man replies – And night & day & every where Tis still before my eyes.

I saild on board a guinea-man And to the slave coast went, Would that the sea had swallowd me When I was innocent.

And we took in our cargo there Three hundred negro slaves, And we saild homeward merrily Over the ocean waves.

But some were sulky of the slaves And would not touch their meat, So therefore we were forced by threats And blows to make them eat.

One woman sulkier than the rest Would still refuse her food, O Jesus God! I hear her cries I see her in her blood!

The Captain made me tie her up And flog while he stood by, And then he cursd me if I staid My hand to hear her cry.

She groand, she shriekd – I could not spare For the Captain he stood by Dear God, that I might rest one night From that poor womans cry!

She twisted from the blows – her blood Her mangled flesh I see – And still the Captain would not spare Oh he was worse than me!

She could not be more glad than I When she was taken down. A blessed minute – twas the last That I have ever known!

I did not close my eyes all night Thinking what I had done I heard her groans & they grew faintTill at the morn she died. About the rising sun

She groand & groand, but her groans grew Fainter at morning Tide, Fainter & fainter still they came Till at the morn she died.

They flung her overboard, poor wretch She rested from her pain But when O Christ – o blessed God – Shall I have rest again.

I saw the sea close over her, Yet she was still in sight – I see her twisting every where – I see her day & night.

Go where I will, do what I can The wicked one I see – Dear Christ have mercy on my soul, O God deliver me!

Tomorrow I set sail again Not to the Negro shore – Wretch that I am I will at least Commit that sin no more.

Oh give me comfort if you can – Oh tell me where to fly – And bid me hope, if hope there be For one so lost as I.

Poor wretch, the stranger he replied, Put thou thy trust in heaven, And call on him for whose dear sake All sins shall be forgiven.²

This night at least is thine, go thou – And seek the house of prayer – There shalt thou hear the word of God And he will help thee there!

___________

[End of section in Edith Southey’s hand]