The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1821-1823, 1821-08-15
THE SKELETON OF THE WRECK

THE SKELETON OF THE WRECK.
From the London kaleidoscope
While Sir Michael Moore was in the
command of the Amethyst frigate, and
was cruizing in the Bay of Biscay, the
wreck of a merchant ship drove past.
Her deck was just above water; her low
er masts alone standing. Not soul
could be seen on board, but there was
cambouse on deck, which had the appear
ance of having been recently patched
with old canvas and. tarpawling. as if to
afford shelter to some forlorn remnant
of the crew. 1t blew at this time
strong gale; but Sir Michael, listening
only to the dictates of humanity, ordered
the ship to be put about, and sent off IL
boat with instructions to board the wreck,
and ascertain whether there was any be-.
Ing still surviving whom the help of his
fellow man might save from the grasp
OF death. The boat rowed towards the
drifting mast, and while struggling W tn
the difficulty of getting through high
running sea chose along side, the crew
shouting all the time as loud as they
could, an object, like in appearance to a
bundle of clothes, was observed to roll
out OF the cambouse, apparently against
the lee shrouds of the mast. With the
end OF boat-hook they managed to get
hold of it, and hauled it into the boat,
when it proved to be the trunk Of man,
bent head and knees together, and so
wasted as scarce to be felt within the
ample clothes which had once fitted it
in state Of life and strength. The
boats crew FASTENED back to the Anne
thyst with this miserable remnant of
mortality; and so small was it in bulk
that lad of fourteen years of age was
able, with his own hands, to lift it into
the ship. When placed on deck, it
showed. for the first time, to the aston
ishment of all, signs of returning life lit
tried to move, and next moment mutter-
ed in hollow sepulchral tone, esthere
as another man." The instant these
words were heard, Sir Michael ordered
the boats to shove off again for the
wreck. The sea having now become
somewhat smoother, they succeeded
this time in boarding the wreck and
looking into the cub house they found
two other human bodies, wasted. like
the one they saved, to the very bones,
but without the least spark of life re-
naming. They were sitting in a shrunk
up posture, hand of one resting on a
tin pot in which there was one gill of
water; and hand of the other reaching
to the deck, as if to regain bit of salt
beet, of the size of walnut, which had
dropped from its nerveIess grasp. I'm
fortunate men! They had starved on
their scanty store, till they had not
strength remaining TO lift the last NOR
sci to their1 mouths The boats crew
having completed their last melancholy
survey. returned on board, where they
found the attention of the ships compa-
ny engrossed by their efforts to pre-
serve the generous skeleton, who SEEM
ed to have just life to breathe the re-
membrance, that there was still g anoth-
er man." his companion in suffering, to
be saved.
Capt. S. committed him to the special
charge of the surgeon, who spared no
means which humanity or skill could
suggest to achieve the noble object of
creating anew, as it were, a tellow-crea-
ture, whom the most unparalleled fam
Inc had stripped of almost every living
energy. For three weeks he scarcely
ever left his patient, giving him nour-
ishment with his own hand every FIVE
or ten minutes; and, at the end of three
weeks more, the "Skeleton of the
Wreck" was seen walking on the deck
OF the Amethyst-and, to the surprise
OF all who recollected that he had been
lifted into the ship by cabin boy, pre-
sented the stately figure of man near
ly six feet high.