of his approaching end, be had desired to see all his descendants
without exception. In obedience to this summons, my uncle set
out with me a second time, to receive the last benediction of my
grandfather: often repeating by the road, "Ey, ey, we have brought
up the old hulk at last. You shall see--you shall see the effect
of my admonition," When we entered his chamber, which was crowded
with his relations, we advanced to the bedside, where we found him
in his last agonies, supported by two of his granddaughters, who
sat on each side of him, sobbing most piteously, and wiping away the
froth and slaver as it gathered on his lips, which they frequently
kissed with a show of great anguish and affection. My uncle
approached him with these words, "What! he's not a-weigh. How fare
ye? how fare ye, old gentleman? Lord have mercy upon your poor
sinful soul!" Upon which, the dying man turned his languid eyes
towards us, and Mr. Bowling went on--"Here's poor Roy come to see
you before you die, and to receive your blessing. What, man! don't
despair, you have been a great sinner, 'tis true,--what then? There's
a righteous judge above, an't there? He minds me no more than a
porpoise. Yes, yes, he's a-going; the land crabs will have him, I
see that! his anchor's a-peak, i'faith." This homely consolation
scandalised the company so much, and especially the parson, who
probably thought his province invaded, that we were obliged to retire
into another room, where, in a few minutes, we were convinced of
my grandfather's decease, by a dismal yell uttered by the young
ladies in his apartment; whither we immediately hastened, and found
his heir, who had retired a little before into a closet, under
pretence of giving vent to his sorrow, asking, with a countenance
beslubbered with tears, if his grandpapa was certainly dead? "Dead!"
(says my uncle, looking, at the body) "ay, ay, I'll warrant him
as dead as a herring. Odd's fish! now my dream is out for all the