23
after having passed under his boat, recovered himself and rose to the surface, where he was immediately taken up by the sailors, and replaced in the boat. The courage of this generous man was not slackened by by the threatened death which he had so miraculously escaped; he lost not the presence of mind which belongs to true intrepidity, and he returned with heroic perseverance towards the perishing individual, for whose safety he hazarded his own. The difficulties of the situation increased—the French sailor, too much weakened, had lost courage, but seeing the boat return to his assistance, he unbound himself, and, endeavoured to make an effort for his salvation, he pereipitated himself into the sea, where he was seen to float for an instant, and then to sink for ever! All assistance had now become useless, and the English boat retained to the port, where the generous men, who had given so noble an example of their rare intrepidity, received the testimonies of that satisfaction with which every spectator was deeply penetrated.
