Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-10-01


car, that the terrible shipwreck took place
whicn furnished Beruard,n de St. Pierre
with the motive for his be.ut,ful and touch
ing love story, Paul and Virginia, the scene
Of which is ia,d 10 this isl sud. In IVA
drought and = plague of locusts had occs-
stoned terrible scare ~ IN us.then
called the Isle Of France, and the fol 'ow-
ing year the st. Geraa was sent out from
the mother country, richly laden with
provisions, to the relief of the starving
colonls,s. About four o'clock one 6ae
afternoon Round Island was sighted from
the ship. and the captain, M. d. la Marie,
wished TO profit by 6ne moool ght to en-
ter what IS now known as Tombeau Bay,
or the Bay OF Tumbs, but was persuaded to
lie outside until morning. Ignorant OF
the coast, the officer allowed the ship to
drift during the night upon dangerous
reef about = league from land. Tue sea
always runs high there, and the st. Geran
was driven with great violence among the
BREAKERS.
Every effort was made to lower the
boats, but some were crushed by the fall
ing masts, and others we're swept away by
the waves. In short time the keel was
broken in two, and the ship became total
wreck. At the captains request the chap
lain pronounced general benedlction and
absolution, and the /" Ave Maria st. liza "
was sung. Then ensued scene of indes-
cribable confusion. Numbers of the crew
flung themselves into the sea, grasping
pIanks, oars, yards; but the heavy waves
tore them from their frail supports, and
nearly all persisted. A brave sailor named
Caret made great efforts to save the CAP
tain, whom he implored to take off bis
clothing; but NJ. De la Marie, who dis
played IN this catastrophe much greater
personal courage and pie'y than seaman
ship, refused to do so on the ground that
it did not become the dignity of his posi-
ton to land without his uniform. CAret
at length succeeded in placing his captain
on plank, aud by swimming alongside
endeavored to get him safely to land. Ed
couutering raft on which some of the
crew had sought refuge, the captain thought
he would be safer with them. He left the
plank. and succeeded in reaching the larger
support. Caret plunged to avoid collision
aud on rising to the surface again was
horror-struck to fnd that the raft with
all on board had been engulfed.
On board the ST. Geran we're two low
ers, Mile. Mallet and Nj. De Peramon
who were to be united in marriage ou
reaching the island. The young man, al
anxious and agitated as the girl was calm
and resigned, when the others left, was
making sort of raft on which to save
her who was dearer than his own life. On
his knees he implored her to descend with
him on to the frail but sole hope OF safety
and to insure greater certainty, he beg
ged her to take off the heavier part of her
garments. THIS she steadily refused to do
When he found his most earnest solicita
tions vain. and all hope OIL saving her lost
though she entreated him to leave her. be
-quietly took from pocket-book tress o.
her hair, kissed it. and placed it on hi,
heart. With his arm around her to shield
her as far as be could to the last, he calm
ly awaited the terrible catastrophe at bel
side. Nor had they long to wait, for they
we're soon washed from the deck. TheiI
bodies we're picked up the following day
casped IN the close embrace in which they
awaited death.
1ais touching incident formed the grounc
work OF the beautiful story over which ST
macy tears have fallen. M.uritius wa
then but little known. aud St. Pierre
picture of its life aud scenery we al
drawn from imagination but the stor.
has invested the tar-off island with an at
mosphere of romance. Two structures a
PampIemousses known as the tombs o
Paul and Virginia are still shown to vlsI
tors-two dllap dared piles OF brick, still
betraying traces Of whitewash on thei
crumbllng sides. When visited by Mr.
Pike, who had been asked by romantic
young lady to gather for her some flower
from the tombs, he found the surrouadln,
grounds converted into an impassabl,
swamp by recent rains. Romance is evi
IDENTIFY at discount in Msuritius.-S. s
CoNANr, in Harper's Magazine for Octo
Der.