ng been taken off the sinking wrecks by us; of his brief sojourn on
board the _Esmeralda_; of the barque having been boarded by a boat from
the _City of Calcutta_, and of all the circumstances that followed. At
the foot of this, and under Captain Baker's signature, I added the
following note:--

"I hereby certify that the above statement is true in every particular.

"John Saint Leger, Master of the British barque _Esmeralda_."

This done, accompanied by Captain Baker, I entered the cabin where the
madman was confined; and there saw a sight which I shall probably not
forget to my dying day. It was one of the saloon cabins--the door of
the poor fellow's own state-room having been beaten in by the crew in
their endeavour to rescue the mates from his clutches--and was a very
fine, roomy, airy, well-lighted apartment, containing two berths and a
sofa, a folding wash-stand, large mirror, a handsome silver-plated lamp
with a ground-glass globe, and a brass pole over the top of the door
carrying brass rings, from which depended a crimson curtain. The lower
berth was made up, and upon it, lying face downwards, was the form of a
stalwart, well-built man, with irons on his legs. I thought for a
moment that the poor fellow was asleep; yet, as we stood gazing upon him
in silence, I was suddenly impressed by the perfect immobility of the
figure, and the oppressive silence that pervaded the cabin. Let a man
be sleeping ever so peacefully, you will notice some slight movement due
to the inspiration and expiration of his breath; and there will also be
the _sound_ of his breathing, as a rule; with perhaps an occasional
sigh, or faint, inarticulate murmur--_something_ to tell you
unmistakably that the figure you are gazing upon is that of a living
man. But here there was nothing of that sort--a circumstance which
seemed to force itself upon the attention of Baker and myself at the
same moment, for we suddenly turned and gazed inquiringly into each
other's faces, and then, reading there the reflection of our own
dreadful suspicions, without a word we simultaneously stepped forward
and turned the figure upon its back. The ghastly truth at once became
apparent in all its unspeakable horror; the miserable madman had crowned
his folly and wickedness by cutting his own throat! It was a sight to
turn one sick and faint--at least, it had that effect upon me; and
doubtless Baker felt as I did, for when I turned to look at him he was
whi