It was about a fortnight after they had quitted St Helena that a strange sail was reported on the starboard bow; and as they neared her, it was evident that her foremast was gone, and that she was otherwise in a disabled state.  When the Indiaman was within a mile, the stranger threw out neutral colours, and hoisted a whiff, half-mast down, as a signal that she was in distress.  Newton ordered the ship to be kept away, and when alongside of the vessel, lowered down a boat, and sent the third mate to ascertain what assistance could be afforded.  With sailors, thank God! distress is sufficient to obtain assistance, and the nation or country are at once merged in that feeling of sympathy for those misfortunes which may perhaps but the next hour befall ourselves.  The boat returned; and the officer informed Newton that the vessel was from the Island of Bourbon, bound to Hamburg; that she had been dismasted and severely injured in a gale off the Cape of Good Hope; and that when her mast went over the side, one-half of her crew, who were up at the time on the fore-yard, had been cast overboard and drowned; that from the want of men and material, they had been unable to rig an effective jury-mast, and had in consequence been so long on their passage that their provisions and water were nearly expended.  The officer concluded by stating that there were a French lady and two gentlemen, with their attendants, who had taken their passage home in the vessel.  Newton immediately went down the side, and pulled on board of the vessel to ascertain what assistance could be afforded.  When he arrived on board, he was met by the Flemish captain, who commenced a statement of his misfortunes and his difficulties, when the French lady, who, unobserved by Newton, had come up the companion-ladder, screamed out as she ran into his arms—­

“Ah! mon Dieu!—­c’est Monsieur Nu-tong!”

Newton looked at the lady, who had burst into tears, as her face lay upon his shoulder, and immediately recognised his former kind and affectionate friend, Madame de Fontanges:  close to him, with his hand extended, was her generous husband.  The meeting was joyful, and Newton was delighted that circumstances had enabled him to render assistance to those who had been so kind to him in his former distress.

“Oh!  Monsieur Nu-tong, nous avons tant soufferts!  Ah! mon Dieu!—­point de l’eau—­rien a manger,” cried Madame de Fontanges:  then smiling through her tears, “mais ce rencontre est charmant;—­n’est ce pas, mon ami?” continued the lady, appealing to her husband.

“You do not remember Monsieur le Marquis?” said M. de Fontanges to Newton.  Newton turned his head, and recognised the governor of Guadaloupe, who had expressed such sympathy at his shipwreck, and had sent him away in the cartel instead of detaining him as a prisoner.