Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 1.djvu/233

 erected on either side, over the cathead, with steps to ascend to it; a tail block was attached to the boom iron, at the outer extremity of each fore-yard-arm, and through this a rope was rove, one end of which came down to the stage. The other was led along the yard into the catharpings, and thence down upon the main-deck. A gun was primed and ready to fire, on the fore part— of the ship, directly beneath the scaffold.

I attended poor Strange to the very last moment; he begged me to see that the halter, which was a piece of line, like a clothes' line, was properly made fast round his neck, for he had known men suffer dreadfully from the want of this precaution. A white cap was placed on the head of each man, and when both mounted the platform, the cap was drawn over their eyes. They shook hands with me, with their messmates, and with the chaplain, assuring him that they died happy, and confident in the hopes of redemption. They then stood still while the yard ropes were fixed to the halter by a toggle