The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-05
A MERCHANT OF NEW YORK.
A NORMAN PILOT AND HIS FAMILY.

The Excursions in Normandy" gives the blow
ing interesting and vivid description Of bod and
fearless Norman Pilot "ln the night of the Dist OF
August, l777, in most tremendous storm, vessel
attempted to run into the harbor of Dieppe 3ous-
sard the pilot, who was missing when the tenn
pest ragged was on the pier and seeing that the cap
tain of the ship made several false manGuvlIs, he
called to him with his speaking trumpet, directing
him what to do and srove by gestures to rende him
self Ineligible Owing to the storm and the dark
his efforts proved unavang, and the ship struck
about thirty fathoms above the pier Every body, ex
ceptng Boussard gave up the crew for lost. Deter
mined to save them, he was going to tie rope round
his body in order to carry to the ship; but his wife
and children and his friends surrounded and besought
him by all that sacred not to rush uselessS into
certain destruction. Boussard, listened only 70 the
voice ofhumanity, and at length prevailed upon them 10
take home his wife and children, Having tied end
of the rope round him and fastened the otherto the
pier, he plunged into the sea- Twenty times did the
waves hurl him back upon the beach, and a often
did he plunge again into the raging pillows. fresh
wave flung him towards the ship and he disap-
peared beneath her. A general cry of horr0 pro-
claimed his destruction But he had only dyed to
lay hold of sailor whom the had sweep. from
the deck, and whom he contryed to take seaseless
to the shore last attempt to reach the ship proved
successful he climbed her side and conveyed to the
crew the rope by which they were drawn ashore one
after another But Boussard had not yet finished his
glorious work Exhausted with his exertiors, he
conducted by his friends to the nearest house. A
gust of wind waited to the shore the cry OF passen-
ger who had been left behind, and Boussard soon
learned that there another fellow-creaure to
He felt his strength renewed, and, before those
about him were aware, he had rushed out of the
house, plunged again into the sea, and was battling
with the same difficulties which he had before en-
countered, and which he overcame with the Ike sue
cess The passenger was saved. Eight out of ten
persons owed their lives to his courageous eNrtons
Louis XVI. made him present ola thousand francs,
and settled on him apension of three hundred He
appointed keeper of the pier lghthouse-al office
which has since been held by the Boussafds, de-
scendng from father to and not year has passes
unmarked by deeds worthy Of the first possessor.-
Close to the parapel of the pier of Deppe is pole
covered with copper to which is fastened a chain
Here, in every storm since l7T whether in the night
or the day, Boussard has taken his station clnging
to the chain, and served warning voice to hose
whom danger and the tempestuous pursued into
the harbor. And though the waves broke over him.
though they washed him from his post of honor rising
from their bosom he would again give advice with his
speaking trumpet in defiance Of the and all its eff
forts. Fifty times has Boussard risked his life to
save the lives Of others. Napoleon ordered a house
to be built for him close to the spot where tie frs.
Boussard performed his heroic achievement. lie gave
him the of honor. For more than half cen
fury, whenever there has been vessel ellowcrea-
iure to save the people have asked, Have we no
Boussard here :"