Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1891-03-06

! that the noblest thing that periShed there
: was that young. faithful heart.
! Very POLITICALLY. but very inaccuratelv.
/ stated. The real facts were that Casa
( Blanca Mrs. Hemans makes the surname
and family name into one word. captain
/ Of the flagship L'Orient. fell mortally
/ wounded, when the flames were devouring
/ the splendid vessel. His son. a bov of
| ten years, was combating by hiS'side when
/ he was struck, and embracing his father.
resolutely refused to quit the ship though
/ a gun boat came along side to take him
/ of. He contrived to bind his diving par
| ent to the mast which had fallen into the
! sea and hoated off with the precious
| charge. He was seen after the explosion
| by some of the British squadron. who
/ made the utmost efforts to save his life,
! but III the agitation of the waves follow
ing that dreadful event, both were swal-
! lowed up and seen no more. For this
statement the historians are responsible:
and 1t may be presumed that it Is as cor
rect as could be gathered at the l. a.. fyo,n
! the survivors sof the conflict. Mrs. He
! mans poem will, however. outlive the
dry narrtlve of the historians as it has
outllved numberleSS parodieS 1t is
beautiful composition, full of dramatic
effect, which its inaccuracy in no way
diminishes.
The loss of that battle caused the en-
peror Cf Germany to renew thezwar with
the French, it broke off the insincere COM
merce Of the Rastadt, and it emboldened
the Porte to declare hoStilities against the
invaders of its Egyptian territory, and it
also haStened the treaty of alliance between
Russia and England against France
In tie battle the British vessel Beler-
ophon, called by the English jack tars
the Billy Rufin," had her niasts and
rigging shot away. aud was compelled to
with draw from the fight.
Then early the next morning the Jealous was
DISMISSED,
For to go down to leeward, the Bellerophon to
assist:
For she in the action lost her masts, the truth
tell TO you,
Which mace her drift to leeward, but we saved
both ship and crew.
1t seemed fated that this same Billy
Ratin'' should figure largely in NapoIeonic
history, for it was upon her deck, seven
teen years after the battle of the Nile,
that the defeated emperor took refuge in
the port of Rochefort. where he was re-
ceived by Captain Maitland, who sailed
thence with his uninvited guest for Tor
bay. At that place Napoleon disembark-
ed and vent on board the Northumber-
land, by which ship he was carried to his
final destination, Saint Helena.
The good ship L'Orient having blown
up in 1898, her hull presumably sunk near
the spot where she was last seen by the
men engaged in that terrific conflict, in
roIdstead of Aboukir, and there undis-
turbed, it had lain ever since. Near her
are doubtless other vessels of Admiral
Brueys fleet, but the principal interest
Centered in two only, l. Orient and the
Maza Munda, a large transport. Those
declare that these two wrecks contain
treasure estimated at more than IS 000.-
600 the first named, the admral's flag
ship, having 5000, ,090 within her hull. Ia
addition to the treasure, which, it is
claimed was money for errands of pay
due to the troops fghtingIunder Napoleon
in Egypt, it is very confidently assorted
that other forms of valuables await the bold
spectators who will lift them from their
ocean bed.
TIE position of the wrecks have been
very exactly ascertained. and so precise
are the assertions that L Orient is said to
be in 6 fathoms of water, miles, cable
length, from shore; whist the Maza Nun
do Is in ~ fathoms, ) miles 3 cables
from land. The bottom of AbOukir Bay
is sandy, and so clear is the water at Ger
tain times that these relics of Nelson's
prOwess can be distinctly seen from thu
dock of any vessel above them.
Poor little Casa-Bianca was, however,
the greatest treasure that was lost amid
that horrid blood and carnage