The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-09-16
Example of Two Brothers in the Be-
ginning of the Sixteenth Century.

The Portuguese ships sailed from Lisbon
to Goa, a very great, rich, and hourishing
colony of that nation in the East Indies.
There were no less than 200 souls, mari
ners, passengers, priests, and friars, On
board one Of these vessels. The beginning
of their voyage was prosperous they had
doubled the southern extremity OF the
great continent of Africa called the Cape
of Good Hope, and were steering their
course northeast to the great continent OF
India, when some gentlemen on board who
had studied geography and navigation,
which reflect honor on the possessors, found
in the latitude in which they were then
sailing large ridge of rocks laid down in
the sea-charts. They no sooner made
this discovery than they acquainted the
captain Of the ship with the affair,
desiring him to communicate the same
to the pilot; which request he i'm
mediately granted, recommended him to
Law by in the night and slacken sail by day
until they should be past the danger. 1t is
a custom among the Portuguese absolutely
to commit the sailing part, or the navlga-
tion of the vessel, to the pilot, who is an
swerable with his head for the safe con-.
duct or carriage Of the kings ships or those
belonging to private traders; and he is I'M
der no manner of direction from the cap
tain, who commands in every other respect.
The pilot, being one Of those self-sufhcient
men who think every hint given them
from others in the way Of their pro-
| fession is derogatory to their under
standing, took it as on attront 10 be
| taught his art, and instead of complying
| with. the captains request, actually crowd
| ed more. sail than the vessel had carried
| before. They had not sailed many hours
| when lust about the dawn of day terrible
disaster befel them, which would had been
| prevented if they had lain by. The ship
struck upon o rock. leave to the readers
imagination what scene of horror this
dreadful accident must occasion among
twelve hundred persons, all in the same in
evitable danger, beholding with fearful
astonishment that instantaneous death
which now stared them in the face. In
this distress the captain ordered the lfe-boats
to be launched, into which having tossed
small quantity of biscuit and some boxes of
marmalade, he jumped in himself, with
| nineteen others, who with their swords
| prevented the coming in Of any more,
lest the boat should sink. In this con-
dition they put off into the great Indian
ocean without compass to steer by, or
any fresh water but what might happen to
fall from the heavens, whose mercy alone
could deliver them. After they had .rowed
to and fro four days in this miserable con-
dition the captain, who had been for some
time very sick and weak, died. This added,
if possible, to their misery, for as they now
fell into confusion, every one would govern,
and none would obey. This obliged them
to elect one of their own company to COM
mand them, whose orders they agreed i'm
plicitly to follow. This person proposed to
the company to draw lots, and to cast every
| fourth man overheard, as their small stock
Of provisions was so far gone as not to be
able, at very short allowance, to sustain
life above three days longer. There were
now nineteen persons in all. In this num-
Der was priest and . carpenter, both of
whom they would exempt, as the one was
useful to absolve and comfort them in their
last extremity, and the other to repair the
boat in case of leak or other accident.
The same compliment they paid to their
new captain, he being the odd man, and his
life of much consequence. He refused their
indulgence great while, but at last they
obliged him to acquiesce go now there were
| four to die out Of the sixteen remaining per-
sons. The three first, after having confessed
and received absolutien, submitted to their
fate. The fourth whom fortune condemned
was Portuguese gentleman that had
younger brother in the boat, who, seeing
him about to be thrown overheard, most
tenderly embraced him, and with tears in
his eyes beSought him to let him die in his
place, enforcing his argument by telling him
that he was a married man and had wife
and children at Goa, besides the care OF
three sisters, who absolutely depended
upon him /; that as for himself, he was
single, and his life of no great import
ance.; he therefore conjured him to suffer
him to supply his place. The elder
brother, astonished and melted with
| the generosity, replied, that since the
Divine Providence had appointed him to
suffer it would be wicked and unjust to
permit any other : to die for him, espe-
cially brother to whom he was SO inf
uitely obliged. The younger, persistipg in
his purpose, would take no denial, but
throwing himself on his knees, held his
brother 50 fast that the company could not
disengage them. Thus they disputed for
while, the elder brother bidding him to be
father to his children, and recommended