men arrived to
conduct them to the commandant of the fortress, who gave them a
friendly reception, afforded them supplies, and provided a boat to
carry them to Paraibo. About midnight they reached the town, where a
Portuguese captain attended to present them to the governor, from whom
also they experienced the like attention. Being anxious to reach
Fernambuc, to take advantage of a Portuguese fleet, daily expected to
sail for Europe, the governor, in three days more, ordered a corporal
to conduct the party thither. But at this time M. de la Fond's feet
were so cruelly wounded, he was scarce able to stand, and on that
account was supplied with a horse. In four days he arrived at
Fernambuc, where, from different naval and military officers, he met
with the utmost attention and consideration; he and all his companions
got a passage to Europe in the fleet.

M. de la Fond sailed on the 5th of October, and reached Lisbon in
safety on the 17th of December; thence he procured a passage to
Morlaix, where having rested a few days to recruit his strength, he
repaired to Port L'Orient, with his health greatly injured by the
calamities he had suffered, and reduced to a state of poverty, having
after twenty-eight years service, lost all he had in the world.

By this deplorable catastrophe, nearly three hundred persons perished.

WRECK OF THE SCHOONER BETSEY,

ON A REEF OF ROCKS.

The Betsey, a small schooner of about 75 tons burden, sailed from
Macao in China, for New South Wales, on the 10th of November, 1805.
Her complement consisted of William Brooks, commander, Edward
Luttrell, mate, one Portuguese seacunny, three Manilla and four
Chinese Lascars. No incident worthy of commemoration happened from the
10th to 20th of November. Next day, when the vessel was going at the
rate of seven knots and a half an hour, she struck on a reef of rocks
at half past two in the morning, while in north latitude 9 48, and
114 14 east longitude. The boat was instantly let down, and a small
anchor sent astern, but on heaving, the cable parted, and both were
lost. The people next endeavored to construct a raft of the water
casks, but the swell proved so great that they found it impossible to
accomplish their purpose. At day-break they found that the vessel had
forged four or five miles on the reef, which they now discovered
extended nine or ten miles to the south, and four or five east and
west; and there were only two feet water where sh