American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-04-04
From the London Kaleidoscope.

THE SKELETON OF THE WRECK.
While Sir Michael Moore was in the command
of the Amethyst frigae, and was cruising in the
Bay of Bscay, the wreck Of merchant vessel
drove past Her deck was just above water; her
lower masts alone standing. Not a soul could be
seen on board, but there was cambouse on deck,
which had the appearance OF having been recently
patched with old canvass and tarpawling, as if to
afford shelter to some forlorn remnant of the crew
1t blew at this time strong gale; but Sir Mi
chael, listening only to the dictates of humanity,
ordered the ship TO be put about, and sent off boat
with instructions to board the wreck and ascertain
whether there was any being still surviving whom
the help of his fellow man might still save from the
grasp of death The boat rowed towards The drift
ing mast, and while struggling with the difficulty
of getting through high running sea close along
side, the shouting all the time as loud as they
could, an object, like in appearance 10 bundle of
clothes, was observed to roll out of the cambouse,
apparently against the lee shrouds of the mast
With the end of the boat hook they managed 10
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 scarce to be felt
within the ample clothes which had once fitted in
state of life and strength. The boats crew has
tened back to the Amethyst with this miserable
remnant OF mortality; and so small was it in bulk,
that lad Ia years Of age was able with his two
hands to lift it into the ship. When placed on
deck, it showed for the first time, to the astonish
mcnt of all, signs of returning life; it tried TO
| move--the next moment mutterrdin hollow sepul-
chral tone, "there IS another man. The instant
these words were heard, Sir Michael ordered the
boat to shove off again for the wreck: and looking
into the cub house they found two other human bo-
dies, wasted, like the one they saved, to the very
bones but without the least spark of life remaining.
4 They sitting in shrunk up posture, hand
OF one resting on tin pot, in which there was
about gill OF water and hand OF the other reach
ing to the deck as it to regain bit of salt bee oil
the size OF walnut, which had dropped from his
nerveless grasp. Unfortunate men they had lived
on their scanty store till they had not strength re
naming to lift the last morse to their mouths
The boats crew having completed their last mel
anchoy survey, returned on board, where they
found the attention of the ships company en-
crossed by their efforts to preserve the generous
skeleton, who seemed to have JUST life enough te
breathe the remembrance that there was still +" an
other man." his companion in suffering, to be saw
ed.
Capt. S. committed him to the special charge o
the surgeon, who spared no means which humani
ty skill could suggest, to achieve the noble OBJ
cct OF creating anew as 1t were, fellow creature
whom the unparalleled famine had stripped OF al
! most every living energy. For three weeks h,
= scarcely ever left his patient giving him noursh
/. mcnt with his own hand every five or ten minutes
and at the end of three weeks more, the skeleton
L of the wreck" was seen walking on the deck OF th
Amethyst and to the surprise OF all who recolect
! ed that he had been lifted into the ship by cabiI
e boy, presented the stately figure Of man nearl.
y six feet high.