The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1824-10-14
WHOLE No. So.

continue distinguishable, for the moon sunk
below the horizon, and clouds gradually
overcast the sky. The wind and sea ncreas-
cd at the same time, and we soon began to
drift along, being one moment elevated on
the top of billow, and the next dashed furi-
ouslv against the bottom Of the ocean. 1t
was evident that the schooner would quickly
go to pieces, and Captain Burder ordered
his men to let down the boat-Whie they
were engaged in this, a temporary dispersion
of some of the clouds afforded us light enough
to discern rocky island at little distance;
and the boat had hardly been dropped when
ourvessel struck violently--the waves break
ing over her at the same time IN rapid sue
cession.
We all rushed to the side of the schooner
on which the boat lay, and leaped into her,
one after another, with the exception OF Mr.
Monti, who, when he had assisted his wlfe
and servant in getting on board, returned 10
the cabin for some papers which he had tor
got.-Just as he came upon deck again,
tremendous sea took the vessel astern, and
swept him overbord. Mrs. Monti tainted a.
way. Captain Burder Immediately cut the
barge rope, and ordered the crew to make
for the island, saying, it was absurd even 70
think of saving my companions life, and that
We should be more fortunate if we escaped
=
iouslv, and we soon gained the rock, and
landed in safety, though not until the bows
of the boat had been stove in by the violent
1 pcrcussions she underwent while we were
getting ashore.
1t was SO dark that none of us attempted
to explore the apparently isolated spot upon
which we had been obliged to take refuge;
and my thoughts were chiefly directed to the
recovery of Mrs. Monti, who continued IN
!, state of nscnsibility for a considerable time,
!, and revived only to feel the agonizlng con-
viction that her husband was no more. Capt.
5 Burder and his crew stood watching the
schooner as she rapidly went to pieces and
had a great deal of conversation among
themselves, which the noise of the sea pre-
! vented me from overhearing.
: About an hour after we had landed Samne
l came running to me, and whispered, that ne
believed Mr.. Monti was still alive, for he had
recently heard some one shouting at a dis
| tance. / Immediately accompanied HIM TO
Y projecting point ofrock, about 1O0yds. of, and
: we both called as loud as we could. voice
t which instantly recognized to be that OF my
/, friend, answered us, but it was sometime be-
8 fore we were able to distinguished what he
s said. At last ascertained that he reached
= the shore by clinging to part OF the wreck,
and that he could not gain the spot on which
d we stood, on account or an arm OF the sea
d which extended into the interior ofthe island;
o hut that he would Immediately endeavor to
n find his way round the head of it. On hear
h ing this, I cntreatcd him to desstF from any
S such attempt, till day light should renderita a
J. secure and successful one. He at last con-
: sented. and hastcned to Mrs. Monti, and
o communicated the joyful tidings of her hus-
C bands preservation, which affected her near
G " as much as her previous beliefin his death
q had dope.
c Long before dawn we had all assembled
G on the ,,ont OF the rock already mentioneds
II the first beams of the morning Showed Mr..
e Monti opposite to the place where we stood,
i and divided from us by what appeared to be
an arm of the sea, about one hundred and
y fftv Yards wide. After exchanging few
e words with his wife, he set out to compass its
e head and thus get round to us, while oamno
: went to meet him.
n We waited their arrival impatiently for
IL nearly half an hour, and then saw the negro
|, coming towards us with looks of despair.
d ,sWe are all deceived" cried he; "this is
= not an arm of the sea, but a channel between
l; two distinct islands, we are on one, and Mr.
: Monti OH the other; he cannot possibly reach
% us, unless he swins across, or is brought over
IL in a boat. What is to be done :" This in
l. telligence filled Mrs Mont and me with dis
% NAV, for both knew that the boat was totally
e unfit for service, and that her husband could
= not swim.-Every one appeared in some
II measure to participate in our distress and
e disappointment, except captain Burder, who
&c when ask ed if there were any means OF rescu-
s. ing Mr.. Monti, said, that it beloved him to
2; Get across the channel as he best could
: Mr.. Mont soon appeared on the opposite
e rock, and explained the hopelessness of his si-
Of tuaton more fully than Samno had done. The
Y. channel had rapid current the set ofwhich,
r we perceived would vary with the ebb and
e flow of the tide but it was so strong that
Of even an expert swimmer could scarcely hope
e to battle its force and reach the adverse shore.
;e No effectual plan of relief suggested itself to
l. any of our minds; but it was evidently neces-
lie sary that something should speedily be done !;
in for though we had picked up considerable.
At quantity of wrecked provisions, Mr.. Monti
A. had none Of any kind. We therefore saw at
L. once that he must either risk his life upon
e the sea, or perish with hunger
If III the afternoon, under the influence OF
these convictions, he began to collect all the
el pieces of plank he could find and having
~ torn IN his shirt and handkerchiefin into strips,
Al he bound the timber together, so as to form
T. a sort of raft. This he conveyed to the ut
d ter extremity of his own island, hoping the
,e sweep of the current might carry him, when
~ en,hark ed TO the loWer end of the opposite