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    1156 THE LEADER. [SAyix fi p^ _____a..^>...

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    LETTERS FROM PARIS. LUTTKll CI. Paris, T...

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    This Wreck Op Tiik Meridian. Tmo Morning...

    that it was evident to all who thought about the matter that it'was-next to impossible for a great many of us to holdout until the middle of the next week . There was nothing but raw cabbage for us to eat , for after hearing Smith ' s statement about food ( which was made in perfect good faith , for Captain Ludlow had promised to leave a bag of biscuit and a barrel of pork at the cabbage-garden , but was prevented from doing so by the gale which sprung up ) , we had thrown away the herring tins as useless lumber , and had nothing to boil the cabbage in . There were two herring tins in the new encampment , one of which belonged to the sailors , who were cooking cabbages for themselves all day , and the party with wliicli I encamped ( comprising 22 persons ) could only once obtain a loan of their tin during the residue of our stay on the island . The

    Saturday and the Sunday ( 3 rd and 4 th of September ) passed away , and still no signs of the ship , the raw cabbage did not agree with some of the women and children , whose weak stomachs rejected it , and the surf was too high to enable us to gather limpets . Our situation on the Sunday night was indeed critical . The supply of water had just failed , and there was none to be had within less than the distance of nearly a mile , which was far too great for us to walk several times a day , in order to fill with water the few wine bottles or boots that we possessed . There was but a day ' s supply of cabbage remaining , and unless God should send us immediate aid , it was clear that two or three days would put an end to the sufferings of many . But at daybreak on Monday morning our deliverers were

    at hand . A long and tremendous shout of ' Ship , ship , from the stentorian lungs of Smith , aroused the whole encampment , and fervent thanks were offered up to Almighty God for this renewed instance of his mercy . The MonmontJi was seen standing in towards the shore , with a fair wind ; but as we could not tell when she would be able to send her boats , we again betook ourselves to our allotted occupations of collecting fuel , fetching water , gathering cabbages , & c . I myself , with Mr . Scoltock , and three or four others of onr party , went down to the seashore , and 'thought ourselves very fortunate ^ for we certainly were much more successful than anybody else—in having collected , before the tide obliged us to leave off , about two quarts of limpets , and fourteen small rock fish ,

    which Mr . Scoltock , a veteran angler , catight with' a crooked pin and a bit of string . This we considered a magnificent provision for the day , though it AVas to be apportioned out among 22 persons ; and we had just boiled and eaten the first sardine tinful , when a shout from below aroused our attention , and looking in the direction from which the noise proceeded , we saw Smith , and a tall commanding-looking man , the latter of whom had enough to do to shake hands with the people who thronged around him . It proved to be Captain Ludlow , of the Monmouth , from Coldspring , in the State of Is ' York , who had come ashore in his own boat to bring us off at once . He was followed by the second mate of the ship , who brought Avith him some biscuits and a piece of

    pork , which was rapidly distributed among the famishing multitude ; but Captain Lmdlow allowed no one to sit down and eat it , for , telling us that not a moment's time was to be lost , and that it was but a quarter of a mile to the place whore the boats lay , he led the way rapidly down , mid was followed , but with unequal stops—for the route was very rough—by the whole of the late Jlfn' / dian's company , with three exceptions , which will be referred to hereafter . On our arrival , we found that the spot selected for embarkation , the day being tine and the water remarkably smooth , was a lodge of rocks uittingout into the sea , at a pointwhere the surface of the island was more than usually depressed . It proved , in fact , a liaiunil Avharf ; but ko rarely is it available , owing to the surf , for the purpose , to which it

    was that day applied , that ; Captain Ludlow was the only person on hoard the , Monmouth who wns aware of it . s existence . More biscuits and pork wen ! distributed here , and wore devoured with a relish which famine only can impart . Never shall I forget the llavour of that biscuit ., or the juicy savour of that bit , of raw pork . It seemed l <> impart , new strength to the limbs and volume to the voice ; and although , in the course of a tolerably long experience , I have partaken of many radio >¦<¦// < < dishes , I eim safely say that . I never partook of one of them with half the gusto with which I devoured this first , instalment of the Mount on t //' n stores . There were four whale-boats employed in Inking mi oil " , I he women and children going first , and by noon all those who bad cm-aped board the

    from the wreck worn on IHDjuiiout / i , willi l . hc exception of l . ho chief cabin steward and a liltle girl , whom ho carried on his buck , ( both of whom were brought , oil on the following day ) , and a steerage passenger named Veil , who severely injured Iuh foot among the roeks on lh <» first ; day of Urn wreck , and who was unable l . o travel . . Plenty of provisions , however , bad been left , with him at , the encampment , on the dill ' , and , to save ( bin man , Cuptain liiullow left , on I he inland four of his own men , including Smith , with instructions to bring him of ] ' an hood as possible , for be dec-hired that unless he waved I ho life of every person who hud escaped . shipwreck , lie should look upon his work an incomplete . And Hiirely , when Captain Ludlow stood upon the deck of his olaneli old vessel , and mi / od upon the grateful hut . linggnrd countenances and

    emaciated bod ion of more than n luiiidnidl ' cliow-croal . ui-oH , almost , reduced l-o ( be last , extremity , he might well feel a degree of anxiety in the completion of an achievement , which nothing 1 ml , i \ n indomitable resolution would have enabled him to accomplish . Another gale sprang up on the Tuesday , after wo had embarked , and we were again obliged to stand out to sea , nor eimhl -wo approach near enough to take ( ho men oil' ( ill the I'Viilay afternoon , when the captain inmincd bin own boat , and brought , Pell and bin own four men on board . With throe henrl . y oheorH for Captain Ludlow mid bin bmvo crew , we l . heii left , Amsterdam ; and after a very fine , but . rather nlow , passage of 17 days , wo arrived at , Iho M ' auril ins . " II , would be most , improper l . o speak of our reception bore , without , adverting in the lirnl , place to the manner in which wo worn treated on board Uio Monmouth . All that

    could be done by respectful sympathy aud unobtrusive kindness was done for us , in order to make us forget the hardships which we had undergone , and that not merely on the part of Captain Ludlow , but by all hands-in the whaler , down , to the cook ' s mate . And it must be borne in mind that every man of "the Ifonmonttis crew incurred a considerable pecuniary loss by his participation in Captain Ludlow ' s views . In a whale ship , no one receives any wages , but every one takes a certain share in the profits of the voyage , according to his rating in the ship . They had been out two years , and had not been very successful , the Monmouth being only half full of oil . . They had come upon fishing ground where in a few days they might have filled the ship , for I myself saw several whales sporting about close

    to the shore near the cabbage-garden , and one monstrous fellow shoved his black back above the ' water . within an eighth of a mile from the boat which carried me to the ship . But not a murmur was heard from the lips of the gallant ' Monmouths ' at the loss of their whaling season , and with it a sacrifice of then- means of living . We were liberally supplied with food , and the quality was such that I should like to see it emulated in English passenger ships . The best of biscuit , salt beef and pork , fresh rice from Java , abundance of pure water from the living rock , yams , sweet potatoes , and molasses at ' , discretion , were placed at our disposal . We had also two novel and unexpected luxuries , half a boatfull of St . Paul ' s fish , which are equal , if not superior , in llavour to the finest salmon , and a couple

    of porpoises , which even the ladies admitted , when they had overcome their prejudices against tasting it , to bo excellent food . The passengers soon profited by the hospitality which was so bounteously extended to them , and gained , flesh rapidly ; but the limited accommodation which the Monmouili could afford exposed all , the women especially , to severe privations of another kind . Except for two of the ladies , for whose use Captain Ludlow gave up his own state-room , sleeping himself on the floor , there was no -privacy for any one , and many of the women found it imposible to take off their clothes between the date of the wreck and their arrival at Port Louis . The maiority

    of the passengers slept either in the hold , where some old sails had been laid down , or on the deck ; room was found for a few in berths or hammocks in the chief cabin , while Others were accommodated on the floor . These arrangements were certainly a great , improvement upon the hard rocks or wet reed of Amsterdam , but something was still wanting to restore us to the same measure of health and strength which we formerly enjoytrd . All that our kind hosts could bestow they gave cheerfully , but they could not convert a vessel of 300 tons into one of GOO tons , nor could they supply us with separate berths , bedding , or change of linen . "

    When they landed at Port Louis they were all well cared for , " every one in office , from Mr . Bayley and Mr . Cummins downward , vying with each other in their efforts to make us forget our misfortunes . " A subscription was raised for them — probably 1200 Z . The Chamber of Commerce voted a service of plate value 1201 . to Captain Ludlow . "By the way , " says "L ., " "I must mention that , at his request , the 1201 . subscribed by the Chamber of Commerce for a service of plate has boon handed over to him

    m money , the captain thinking that a display of plate like that which was voted fo him would be inconsistent with the frugal stylo of living to which ho has always been accustomed , I understand , however , that bo ( loos not intend to apply the money to any vulgar use , but , to form an accumulating fund with it , for the benefit of his children . Dr . Powell , a medical gentleman here , who practises photography for the uinumnnent of himself and friends , has taken a good likeness both of the captain and of Mr . Worthington , which will be wont to the Illustrated London News . "

    1156 The Leader. [Sayix Fi P^ _____A..^>...

    1156 THE LEADER . [ SAyix fi p ^ _____ a .. ^>» nn > . ^ MaanaaaiaBanB < B . i ^ Bii > Bsna I ^""*" J " . < M » Mmm » . _ i mil - ' « "" i ^ «»—•^ d . ™^ _„^^^

    Letters From Paris. Luttkll Ci. Paris, T...

    LETTERS FROM PARIS . LUTTKll CI . Paris , Thursday Even in ;? , Dec . 1 , lSaH . BoNAPAn / no returned to . Paris yesterday . Ho has boon hurt in tho shoulder by a fall out hunting , 1 believe , or ]> y concussion against a , tree in tho forest , I believe ; -while insatiable (/ obeiiiovrhex insist ; on his having- received a pistol Hhot , tho author of which , as noon : ih ho found ho had only winged bin game , . shot himself . All these vorHioiiH are ridiculous enough . Sutlieient that , the l ^ iuneror lias received a , severer blow than any from a pistol . Tho ' Fusion ba . s ktruck him to death . You can seji . rocly conceive the excitement and elation of the . salons in Paris . All the upper classes are in jubilation . They go and inscribe their names at M . Berryer ' s , as they wont ; , in 1815 , to Talleyrand ' s , and to Wellington's , Pemigny , the uni (| uo and only thorough-bred Ilonaparttst ; that , ever existed , is at , bis wit ' s end , halting between contradictory resolutions , what course to pursue . Tho Ministers , Fould and Drouyn do 1 'Huys , belong to tho ¦ Leg itimist , conspiracy . Jvothsnhihl is the banker of l . lio iMi

    . KlUlion . Tho ( bur nxiled i » -mif > r : i . lu rilimiovii-iimr ' I tiwlivi n . mon . I ho lour exiled generals , Changa . rnier , Bedean , Lainorioiero , and Leflo aro " working" Mio" regiments . Not ; a . ^ few eolonelii have hastened to place themselves at . their disposal . As things are going , one would imagine that , in a f , ) W months , there would only bo four men in Franco 'not of Iho plot- viz ,., Bonaparte , Porsigny , Ht . A maud , and Marian . Wvon Curlier in treated for . ( Tlial , fertile brain wliioh conceived thocoup dy . tat , of the 2 nd of Deoeinbnr lias been invitod to furnish a plan for whisking off Bonaparte from tho Tuilcries . Tho magistracy and Mid public : functionaries have been half won over to tho p lot by tho promise of retaining them in their places , Pornigny , I repent ,, is dintraclod between waiting and doing : whether to strike n blow now , or wuit till tho

    plot ripens : the latter course seems to me the better He received orders to arrest the Legitimist chiefs ; but he has contented himself with a perquisition by the police at the house of one of the party . Do not be deceived as to the serious importance of this counter-revolution . The life , and soul of the plot is no other than the Emperor Nicholas . With Henry V . at Paris , the Continent is Russian : it is the Continent against England , Russia at Constantinople . It is Nicholas who imposed the fusion on the Comte de Chambord and upon the Orleans branch ( the Duchess and M , Thiers ' are said to hold out . still , but with them holding out mean waiting ) ; he dictated the very words spoken on either side . What , say some , if some fine night Bonaparte were to disappear from the Tuileries and Paris were to wake up in the morning to find

    Henry V . king , the Anglo-French alliance broken , and England alone against the Continent ! Bonaparte has now abandoned the idea of a visit to England—for the present . Astory was current in the salons yesterday that Comte Walewski had negociated with your Minister an interview at London between our Emperor and your Queen , to which Queen Victoria , notwithstanding her repugnance , had consented ; that Bonaparte had then asked permission to present his Empress , which had been declined ; that Walewski had t hereupon starte d in post haste for Fontainebleau with the news of this terrible rebuff ; and that the news of the Fusion had reached Bonaparte about the same moment . ' All this may be sheer malice not very- cleverly invented . Bonaparte has his troubles without any '' airs" from Queen Victoria .

    Tlie financial diniculties are increasing daily . The Treasury has been at a low ebb since last September , and the coffer ^ of the Bank have been seriously invaded . More than 200 millions ( of francs ) . = 8 , 000 , 000 Z . of Treasury bonds have been issued , and a loan to about the same amount is in contemplation . How-, under existing circumstances , such , a loan will succed , is another question . Since the Fusion , the Bourse has been rising every day . The stock-jobbers already dream of the 3 per cents . at 100 , and discount their dreams . Alas ! these blind enthusiasts see nothing beyond Henry V . ; they do not discern the possibility of England fighting the absolutist continental alliance with the Revolution itself !

    The severities against the Republicans have not diminished . The editor of the Messager clu Midi has lately been thrown into prison . The recent decree of the Supreme Court in the last resor t , affirming the right of the police to open letters entrusted to the Post , caused little or no sensation . It fell in the midst of the news of the Fusion , and the rights of imperial despotism were felt to be short lived . The Fusion , too , renders the rumours from Turkey less and less interesting . The Constantinop le question may vet have to be solved at Paris .

    News has arrived of an offensive movement of tho Russian forces in an attempt to pass the Danube at Ciurgevo . They succeeded in establishing two bridges , one near Giurgevo , the other near Hirschova , on tho Lower Danube . Tho 5 th coiys d'armte , under General Luders , would , in the event of tho re-inforcements under General Ostensaken , be disposable at that point of attack . But then there is reason to believe that Ostensaken has been conn tor-ordered to the Caucasus , where the Czar can hardly hold his own . The tactics of the . Russians are , you will note , precisely ^ thoao which I indicated nix ' months ago . Whilo tho Turks are kept opposite Giurgevo by the demonstrations or

    Cortsehakof , Ludors , after crossing-the Danube about IlirHcova , will , it seems probable , out-flank tho right wing of the Turks , and by that movement force them to abandon tho banks of tho Danube before Ghirgevo , and to fall back upon Shunda . Then it will bo Gortschakof ' H turn to cross the Danube , and out-flanking tho Turkish left , to penetrate unoppoHed to tho Balkans . It is stated that . Cortsehakof has applied to the military archives at Vienna for the admirable topographical charts of the Balkan" which were constructed with the greatest possible care by Austrian engineers , and aro the most complete ni ;» ps of that range in existence . Nowit appears , that besides the

    , throe grand routes across the Balkans there aro hvo other secondary roads , not to speak of numbcrkw byroads . It , is by one of these that Cortsobakof is determined to effect the passage of bin army . Wlido tbo oth a » -ptt d'armtc , supported by tho Unl , holdn m cheek tho Turkish foroo . H fallen back upon Nihuinla , Cortsohakof , with , the -4 th oorps ( I ) : mnenberg ) , wouiu eroHM the Balkans , and thus tnruhni ttehmnla remloi its defence useless . Hiich is l . ho plan of campiiif , " which competent military men hoio ascribe to the Juniiiji . ii Commander-in-chief . I simply report them .

    All military opinions hero agroo in considering Omar Pj . eha's retreat , as a mistake hi this hoiiw ^ I »» J it was not . a simple , ' iiumourrc . After hisivtrea . » should have reerossod the Danube at another point . . HiliHtri .-i , for example ; from l . honco ho might- irnv ^ thrown his forces upon Jalonisa , and by r '' , "'^ . occupying that , lino of operation . ) have cut oil y ° ' elmkoinVom Moldavia , l > y hemming him m "J J ^ narrow sp .-i . oo between . J ; i ! oni / . a , Bucharest , J < n < l ¦ Danube . Whereas , by bis retreat , ho has nurren < ioi << tho advantage to the ItusHinnn .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 3, 1853, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_03121853/page/4/