Page:Man Who Laughs (Estes and Lauriat 1869) v2.djvu/143

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everything to fear from God, having for our only anchor and resource repentance of our bad actions, resigned to death, and content, if divine justice be satisfied, humble, penitent, and beating our breasts, we make this confession, and confide and deliver it to the furious ocean to use as it may, according to the will of God. And may the Holy Virgin aid us. Amen. We herewith append our signatures,"

The sheriff here paused in his reading, to remark, "Here are the signatures. All in different handwritings." Then resumed:—

"Doctor Gerhadus Geestemunde. Asuncion. [A cross, and at the side of it] Barbara Fermoy, from Tyrrif Island, in the Hebrides. Gaizdorra, Captal. Giangirate. Jacques Quartourze, alias the Narbonnais. Luc-Pierre Capgaroupe, from the galleys of Mahon."

The sheriff, after a short pause, continued: "Here is a note written in the same hand as the text and the first signature." And he read:—

"Of the three men comprising the crew, the skipper having been swept off by a wave, there remain but two, who sign here. Galdeazun. Ave Maria, thief."

The sheriff, interspersing his reading with his own remarks continued: "At the bottom of the sheet is written,—

At sea, on board of the "Matutina," Biscay hooker, from the Gulf de Pasages.'

"This sheet," added the sheriff, "is a legal document, bearing the mark of King James the Second. On the margin of the document and in the same handwriting, there is this note:—

The present declaration is written by us on the back of the royal order, which was given us as our receipt when we bought the child. Turn the leaf and the order will be seen.