Year: 1860

For the Delaware Gazette
DEVOTIoN AND DISCOVERY.
MR. THOMSON While have recently no
| ticed our citizens arranging their grape vines
| for the season, ] have been reminded of a ro
mantle and thrilling incident, which l once
| read, relating to the discovery of the island o.
Madeira, SO noted for its wine and vineyards
off the west coast of Morocco. The story
runs In substance as follows.


In the reign of Edward the Third of Eng
land, young man of courage and talent named
Macham, fell in love with a young lady of vain
beauty, Of the name of Anne Dorset. She
| was his superior in birth, but the merit of Ma,
cham, like merit always does, gained him the
preference over all his rivals. The father Of
the young lady, to prevent her marriage with
an inferior, obtained from the king, an order
to have Maeham arrested and confined, until
he should be able to marry his daughter to a
man of quality. When the desired nuptials
were celebrated, the nobleman conducted bis
beautiful but unfortunate bride to fine home
near Bristol. Macham was now restored to
liberty.


Indignant atthis injustice and confident OF
the affections OF his mistress, he prevailed on
some of bis friends to assist him in an attempt
for qualification of his love and revenge
Following the married couple to Bristol, one
of his friends obtained the Office of groom in
the family of the Bobleman. He found the
bride full of recolections of Macham, and dis
pleased with the man who had been forced up
on her. Macham bad several communications
with her, through the groom, and concerted
plans for their escape to France, where they
might love unmolested.


When all things were ready, the bride rode
out one day accompanied by the groom alone,
under pretense of taking the air. Passing a
hill they galloped away to the sea shore, where
Macham and a boat awaited them. Thus the
lovers were once more united. Fearful of pur-
suit, the ship Immediately weighed anchor, and
fine breeze filled the mind of Macham with
hope that he would soon land his fair lover on
the gay shores of France. z-..-
But misfortune was to be his lot. A vio-
lent storm of wind arose one night, and car
ried them into unknown water. Unaequaint-
ed with the compass, as they were, their CON
dition was one of peril. For thirteen days,
the lovers were thus driven at the mercy of the
wind and waves whittier they knew not
The fugitive bride was now filled with terror
and remorse, and looked on this uproar of the
elements as the anger of Heaven directed
against her and all the efforts of her lover to
remove the pang of relnorse were vain


At length the storm subsided, and on the
morning of the fourteenth day the mariners
saw an island. Joyfully they stcered to it,
while the rising sun displayed to them it's for
| ests, which were of a kind unknown to them.
A boat WAS sent to shore to rcconnoiter, which
| returned to the ship, with such accounts of the
beauty of the island, that Mucham resolved to
take his dropping bride to hand. in hopes that
! her health and spirits might thereby be impro-
we'd They were accompanied by a few OF
their friends, while the sailors remained in the
ship.


The island proved to be one of great beauty
The forests were stately and magnificent
many of the trees were laden with vines and
fruit the waters were cool and limpid, the
sky was serene, and the air balmy and sweet
! Near the centre they found beautiful meadow
| bordered by laurels, and bisected by mean
dering brook. In the meadow stood maies-
| tic tree, whose spreading branches afforded
| shade from the rays of the sun Beneath this
| tree Macham constructed bowers of grape
vines; hoping that few days spent in such a
delightful solitude, would recruit the dropping
health and spirits of his companion. But on


the third day after the bower was completed


a violent storm arose, and swept with fury over
| the island during all the next night. Alarmed
| for the safety of his vessel, Macham and his


bride repaired to the seaside, but alas nc
| ship was to be seen, and they supposed it had


been lost in the storm.


Despair and CONSERVATION now fell on the
little band thus left in an uninhabited island


in the midst of the ocean. Severely fell this


misfortune on the repenting bride. She re


preached herself with being the cause of thi.


calamity. She was now no longer contentet
| bride but raving maniaci So great was hel
excitement and raving, that she is said to have


soon lost her speech; and on the third day from


the storm to have died.


| Remorse now fell upon Macham, for having


beguiled one so young and so beautiful, from


her home, her country, and her friends, to per


ish on desolate island. Sickness followed re
morse and death sickness in five days. Hi


last request was that he might be buried be
side his unfortunate bride, under the tree ii


the meadow.


| After the death of their commander, hi
| followers consulted about means to escape iron


the island. AS the ships boat had RENAME,


on shore, they resolved to fit it up, and max


sail for England Having set sail in this ligh


craft. they were again overtaken by high winds


and driven, not to England, but were cast ur


on the coast of Morocco, where their boat wa
shattered on the rocks, and they were captul


ed by the Moors. From these they learne


that their ship had been driven by the storr


on the same coast, and her men captured b


pirates.


As the prisons of Morocco in those day


were full of captives of all nations, it was nc


long before an experienced pilot, Spaniar


named Juan de Moreles, was informed by th
unfortunate men, of the existence of the islam


from which they had sailed. He listened t


their story with great interest inquired int
) the situation and condition of the island the
) had discovered. And subsequently when h
! was removed from prison, he communicate
the circumstance TO Prince Henry, of Portr
: gal, who soon fitted ont ship for the pu
pose of visiting that tragic spot.


Now, whether this story is true or not, thel
is that in it which will insure its existence
certainly as though it were authentic history
#.*.*.
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