The Sailor Freemason .

"From that time I became enamoured of Freemasonry , and while on board ship 1 " gave my mind up to that study , and frequently ou our cruising excursions dropped ashore to visit some Lodges on the coast . It was a common remark on board , that if sailors had sweethearts in every port , I had brothers in every harbour . On one occasion I went ashore at Greenock , when a remarkable circumstance occurred , worthy of record . Ou entering the Lodge ,

to my great surprise , I found one of my superior officers there before mc . Till that moment I was not aware of his being a brother , for on board ship be was rather austere and repulsive in his manner to all beneath him in command—a deportment which I believe many of our commanders assume from a notion that it is best calculated to secure obedience and respect . On this occasion our eyes met ; and we Avere for the first time on an equality : and

I shall never forget the hearty manner in which he saluted mcnot in the voice which ' thundered terrors to the crew , but in the bland tones of a brother . Thou heaven descended beam of light , beauty , and perfection ! How often has the endearing epithet of Brother reconciled the most conflicting interests , and united the firmest friends ! ' While I remained in His Majesty ' s seiwice , ancl it was not long ,

I experienced many acts of kindness and ciA'ility from my gallant superior , who often conversed with me on Masonic topics . Obliged to return home in bad health , I ivas only in part enabled to resume my Masonic friendships ; but during that period I enjoyed much tranquillity , when with book in hand I visited the classic caves of Gorten and Hawthorndeii , or scanned the rich entablature on Eoslin ' s ruined college , or sought the mouldering castle of the lordly St .

Clair" Lilting o'er blooming groves its head , In the wau beauty of the dead ;" and gazing upon the loopholed retreat on the varied tints of a sylvan paradise" A lovely scene but sadly sweet , Like smiles and tears on beauty ' s face ; Far may we wander ore wo meet

So dear a dwelling place , That formed by hand of nature seems * For lovers' sighs and poets' dreams 1 " " Amidst scenes like these I found quiet and repose ; and ere summer clothed the hawthorn tree with bloom , my spirits with my health began to rally ; but I yearned for my favourite element ; and as I did not wish to be burdensome to my dear friends , I left them to all

once more , contrary parental and fraternal entreaties , and joined the merchant service , thinking that a foreign voyage might perhaps recruit my health . "My leave taking of my brother was most solemn and affecting ; he entreated me to return back with him ; but I would not . lie shook his head mournfully , and murmured ' Farewell ! ' I could see him keeping his on the vesseltill the fi became like

eyes , gure au atom , and presently it vanished from my anxious eyes . " Our voyage was tempestuous ; the evening of our departure was greeted by no solar ray '; and the wind , which in gloomy murmurs gave 'fearful note of preparation'for a coming storm , soon increased to a hurricane . Our little world was tossed about at the mercy of

the waves ; the night was spent in fear and anxiety . 'Twas then I thought of home ; I imagined I heard my brother beseeching me to return ; but to hear a voice then was impossible ; the thunder rolled , and the forked lightning flashed in awful majesty . The moriiing _ came , but the tempest raged with unabated violence , threatening to hurl us into the yawning abyss . In this manner Ave were tossed about for two days at tiie mercy of the ivind and

waves , having lost two masts . On the ni ght of the second , we were driven on shore on the coast of Norway , near Bergen . The captain , who was a cowardly fellow ( in . mercy to whom I do not name the ship ) went ashore ivith four others , in the only boat wc had , promising to return . I was certainly offered a place beside the chickenhearted commander , but I preferred to await the return of the boatin of those that remained .

, company "Hanging to the wreck for hours , no boat came to our rescue aud , as the vessel was now under water , I resolved on swimmiii" - ashore , where I saw lights moA'ing to and fro—no doubt to aid the wreckers iu their greedy business . Seeing a spar floating by , I jumped upon it , and I was soon away from the vessel ; the tide seemed to aid my efforts , for I was carried towards the shore . In to hold on bthe watchlass

my eagerness y spar , my g was proken into pieces , which were lodged in my side , and this , no doubt , brought on fainting from loss of blood . But there is a wonderful tenacity in life , and I still held fast although unable to make any effort . I became insensible ; a gurgling noise assailed my ears , and I sank as it AVCI-C into a dreamy sleep . In this situation I ivas cast on shore , and how long I remained in this

state I know not . I heard voices in the midst of the storm , and the sound of footsteps near , but I could neither speak nor open my eyes . My first sensation arose from the rough handling of some of the people , who talked together in , to me , an unknown tongue . Still unable to open my eyes , or move , I was lifted from the strand into the arms of a foreign Brother , lie held some spirit to my lips , and , after a shiver or two , I opened my eyes

upon a scene of wreck and ruin . I was conveyed to the house of my preserver , the glass was picked out of my side , and I was consigned to a couch , where I was carefully watched . " " By the kind attention of my newly-found Brother , I soon recovered , and heard that all had been lost ; for what had beeu saved from the deep had fallen into the hands of the wreckers . "The kind hearted fellow who had acted the true Samaritan

introduce me to the consul ( also aBrotber ) , who supplied me with clothes and other necessaries . As soon as I was in a fit state to move about , I determined on returning home , for I had a presentiment that death had put its mark upon me , as my pulnionary complaint increased daily . Accordingly , I took the first ship which was bound to the port of London . " Here ends the sailor's

narratrve . He arrived iu London much emaciated , where he found an asylum in his sister ' s house ; but he longed to sec his old mother once more , and with staff in hand , the frail , weather beaten fellow went and secured a berth in one of the Leith smacks ( there were no steamers then ) which was to sail the next day . He returned back , his luggage was put on board , and he retired to rest with

the hope that he would once more see his parent , who having been apprised of his intention , anxiously awaited the arrival of the ship . It arrived , but her boy ivas not there ; the captain knew not how to account for the mystery , for he had seen him the nig ht before with his own hand write his name on a piece of paper , and pin it to the curtain of his bed ; and there it remained . By next post his afflicted family were made acquainted with his

dissolution . His last filial effort Avas too much for him : he died two or three hours before the vessel sailed . He was only twenty-five years of age * his voyage is o ' er , and with him " the dream of life is past ;" his shattered hulk is now free from earthly storms , awaiting , it is to be firmly and devoutly hoped , a translation to the Grand Lodge above .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

THE OLD MASONIC COAT Or AIMS . You some time since gave an engraving of the coat of anils borne by the York Masons . It is said , by a brother with whom 1 correspond , that they represent the lloyal Arch bearings , and allude to the four standards ; be this as it may , please describe this heraldically in your next . ' —F . ! ATEKI « TAS . — - [ AHMS . Quarterl countercharged vert 1 st quarteraz . a lion

y per squares , ; , , rampant , or : 2 nd , or , an ox passant . sa iird , or , a man with hands uplifted , ppr ., robed in crimson and ermine ; -1 th , az ., art eagle displayed , or . CHEST . The Ark of the Covenant , ppr . SuppoiiTKiss . Two Cherubims ivith wings extended . MOTTO . " Holiness to the Lord . " ] 15 KO . THOMAS SANDBY , ll . A .

" A Master Builder" inquires , in a recent number , if the architect of Freemasons' Hall was eminent in his profession ; and as he speaks of him as a brother of our ancient Craft ( which he most probably would he ) , I Avill follow his example , presuming that he has not done so from conjecture . Perhaps some one will be kind enough to supply the information as to when and where Bro . Thomas Sandby was initiated , with any further particulars

as to his proficiency in speculative Masonry . For the present , the following few particulars concerning Bro . Thomas Sandby are perhaps the best answer in the affirmative to "A Master Builder ' s" questions . Thomas Sandby , E . A ., was born at Nottingham , in the year 1721 , and was descended from a branch of the family of Sandby of Babworth . He was brother to , and four years older than , Paul Sandby , K . A ., the founder of the English school of Both the brothers to have shown in

water colour painters . seem early life a natural talent for delineating AA'itli the pencil like skilful artists ; but our object at present must be to briefly trace the career of Thomas , Avho is said to haA 7 c at first had his mind directed to architecture as a profession , inconsequence of his having discovered a UCAV aud readier mode of drawing perspective . His drawings procured for him such approbation in Nottingham and its vicinage , that he determined to try his fortune in Loudon , and , in 17-13 , he ivas appointed draughtsman to the chief engineer in Scotland . He Avas at Fort William , iu the Highlands , in August ,