Trials are quickly over, once they begin. It was no time before the judge had condemned these prisoners to death and was trying some one else with the same concentrated, benevolent, individual attention.

Afterwards, a few of the crew were reprieved and transported.

The night before the execution, Jonsen managed to cut his throat: but they found out in time to bandage him up. He was unconscious by the morning, and had to be carried to the gallows in a chair: indeed, he was finally hanged in it. Otto bent over once and kissed his forehead; but he was completely insensible.

It was the negro cook, however, according to the account in theTimes, who figured most prominently. He showed no fear of death himself, and tried to comfort the others.

‘We have all come here to die,’ he said. ‘That’ (pointing to the gallows) ‘was not built for nothing. We shall certainly end our lives in this place: nothing can now save us. But in a few years we should die in any case. In a few years the judge who condemned us, all men now living, will be dead.Youknow that I die innocent: anything I have done, I was forced to do by the rest ofyou. But I am not sorry. I would rather die now, innocent, than in a few years perhaps guilty of some great sin.’