Chapter 21

           Iwassoonintroducedintothepresenceofthemagistrate,anoldbenevolentmanwithcalmandmildmanners.Helookeduponme,however,withsomedegreeofseverity,andthen,turningtowardsmyconductors,heaskedwhoappearedaswitnessesonthisoccasion.

           Abouthalfadozenmencameforward;and,onebeingselectedbythemagistrate,hedeposedthathehadbeenoutfishingthenightbeforewithhissonandbrother-in-law,DanielNugent,when,aboutteno’clock,theyobservedastrongnortherlyblastrising,andtheyaccordinglyputinforport.Itwasaverydarknight,asthemoonhadnotyetrisen;theydidnotlandattheharbour,but,astheyhadbeenaccustomed,atacreekabouttwomilesbelow.Hewalkedonfirst,carryingapartofthefishingtackle,andhiscompanionsfollowedhimatsomedistance.

           Ashewasproceedingalongthesands,hestruckhisfootagainstsomethingandfellathislengthontheground.Hiscompanionscameuptoassisthim,andbythelightoftheirlanterntheyfoundthathehadfallenonthebodyofaman,whowastoallappearancedead.Theirfirstsuppositionwasthatitwasthecorpseofsomepersonwhohadbeendrownedandwasthrownonshorebythewaves,butonexaminationtheyfoundthattheclotheswerenotwetandeventhatthebodywasnotthencold.Theyinstantlycarriedittothecottageofanoldwomannearthespotandendeavoured,butinvain,torestoreittolife.Itappearedtobeahandsomeyoungman,aboutfiveandtwentyyearsofage.Hehadapparentlybeenstrangled,fortherewasnosignofanyviolenceexcepttheblackmarkoffingersonhisneck.

           Thefirstpartofthisdepositiondidnotintheleastinterestme,butwhenthemarkofthefingerswasmentionedIrememberedthemurderofmybrotherandfeltmyselfextremelyagitated;mylimbstrembled,andamistcameovermyeyes,whichobligedmetoleanonachairforsupport.