Day 326. Flying fish and salt horse: a seafaring tale
21st June 1860:
Thursday 21st. The Sailmaker sewed the body up in his hammock. At 8 AM when the watch came on deck they carried him on the poop on a hatch with the Ensign over him, when the Capt read the burial service and we committed him to the unfathomable deep.
After breakfast the Capt sold his clothes by Auction which realized £6 8s 4d, more by half than they were worth on shore. The sale occupied about an hour and a half. So ended the Burial at sea.
Two Barks in sight to leeward but too far off to signalize. The Capt took the Sun and found the ship to be in Lat 53.9 S Long 54.55 W. A large ship to windward. Still calm this morning until 12 at noon, after which a little breeze spring up, and at 12 at night under stowed T.G. Sails, Crossjack and F. Jib. the F. Jib got foul of the downhaul and I was standing on T.G. Forecastle, and got nearly drowned, by the water that broke over. had to change all my clothes when I went below. Pumps carefully attended. Going 8 knots. Very cold dirty weather.
Life goes back to normal very fast, with the quick burial at sea and then the division of the dead man’s clothes. Interesting that the sailors did not fear infection from these clothes but just saw it as a practical way to not waste resources. Richard has a narrow escape himself after being swamped by water. The fact that he mentions having to change all his clothes suggests that this was not a frequent occurrence.