John Holdsworth, Chief Mate

by William Clark Russell

[POSTSCRIPT.]

I must claim the reader’s indulgence while I speak for a moment of that portion of the foregoing narrative which refers to the hero’s loss of memory.

That loss of memory has been brought about by trials and sufferings such as I have attempted to depict in the early chapters of this narrative, is too certain to make it necessary that I should adduce instances (which are very readily procured) as proof. That such loss has lasted, not for months only, but for years, will be seen by the following anecdote, which suggested this story, and which I extract from the Noon Gazette of July, 1772:—

“Last Sunday died at Winchelsea a character of whom a correspondent, a gentleman distinguished both by his parts and benevolence, has obligingly furnished us with the following account: That his name was William Stephens, and that he was a mariner, who, many years since, was pressed from his home to serve on board His Majesty’s ship of war The Vapour; that he was then married but two weeks; that whilst cruising off the Portugal coast The Vapour was wrecked, and Stephens, with some others, saved his life by clinging to a portion of the wreck, in which condition they languished near three days, and were then rescued by a French merchant-man, who carried them into Bordeau (sic): that on Stephens being questioned, he was found to have lost his memory, on which he was sent into England, and was hired as porter by Mr. Hudson, of the York Inn, in or near to Folkestone, in Kent, where he remained for two years in entire ignorance of his past, until, his memory returning, he set off for Winchelsea on foot, and arrived to find his wife married to one Eel, a cobbler, whose life Stephens threatened if he did not restore him his Nancy. This the cobbler did, and so the matter ended. It occasioned much gossip, and to the end of his days Mr. Stephens (who settled down as a carpenter, having lost all relish for the sea) was regarded with curiosity, and had to the houses of the neighbouring gentry, whom his singular story never failed to divert.”

There are on record many instances of loss of memory, occasioned by various means. In some cases the deprivation has been complete, and the restoration sudden, and resembling an abrupt revelation. In other instances it has been accompanied by faint, glimmering, haunting reminiscences, creating indescribable anxiety, but growing up suddenly into a sound and permanent recovery.

Printed by R. & R. Clark, Edinburgh.

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