Then I thought, why not at dawn in the morning tow the body to Herm, and drag it ashore on the rocks opposite the labourers’ cottages, as if it had been flung there by the waves; but a high sea was running, and to my craft the passage of the Percee was impossible, for the current running through it would have swept me away, so that with a weight towing astern I should never have reached Herm, not even if I had taken the corpse as a passenger inside my boat.  I lit my pipe to conjure up fresh inspiration, and the charm worked, for I got an idea which seemed to me to fulfil all my requirements from a religious point of view, and it also appeared practicable.

Being a sailor, my idea was to give the poor fellow a sailor’s funeral, and bury him myself at sea; and if the sea were not too rough it should take place this very night.  It wanted yet an hour of dusk, and I would commence my preparations at once.  Having formed my plan, and looked calmly upon my undertaking as one that was a duty for a christian man to perform, the fear in a great measure seemed to leave me.

I hauled down my boat, with “Eddy’s” help, to high-water mark, and then went, with as bold a mien as I could muster, to the poor man’s side; nerving myself with a prayer I lifted the straw from his face, and was pleased to find that the features had assumed their normal aspect, in fact but for the eyes being partly opened, he looked as if he were asleep.  This was a great relief to me, and I now felt firm for the task I had undertaken.  I got the body on the cart by great exertion, and transported it to the boat, where I laid it across amidships on two planks and tied a huge rock to each ankle; then, having prepared everything by the time night set in, I left the boat, as I found the tide would not float her away, and went home.

I thought if I waited another four or five hours the swell of the sea would run down with the tide and become calm enough for me to venture out upon my mission.  I therefore had a substantial meal, and lay down on my bed to rest, as I was very tired with my day’s work and my previous sleepless night.

When I awoke I found that it was past eleven p.m., but on looking out discovered that it was a fine night, though very dark.  The sea had greatly quieted down, so taking my lantern and dog, I blundered along down the rocky path with “Eddy” at my heels, till I came to the boat of which I was presently to become the Charon.

With “Eddy’s” help the boat was safely, though riskily launched, as my passenger made it very top heavy.  Seeing this, I caught “Begum” up and tossed him overboard, so that he might swim ashore again, which I daresay he thought a great liberty and very unkind, but it was a necessity.