J775* tive, that feating himfelf firm on his fpirited horfe, he fwam him over to the ihip; encouraged fome of them feverally to lay hold of the end of a rope, which he threw out to them for that purpofe, and others to fallen them- felves to the horie’s tail; then turned about, and carried them fafe on ihore.. This animal’s natural aptnefs for fwimming, the great fize. of his body, the firmnefs and flrength o f his limbs, prevented him from being .eafily overpowered by the fwell of the fea. But unfortunately, this generous and active veteran himfelf became a vidtim to. death. Fourteen young per foil s he had actually faved; and while endeavouring to; preferve more than it was poifible for him to do in fo ihort a time, he and his horfe were both drowned. The occafion of this was as follows; after the feyenth turn, Having ft aid a little, longer than ufual to reft himfelf, the poor wretches on board were afraid that he did not intend to return; for this reafon being impatient, they redoubled their prayers f and cries for affiftance; upon which,, his tender.eil feeling being wrought upon, he a g a in haltened to their relief ere his horfe was fufficiently relied.; The poor .animal, almoll 11 fpent, now funk the fooner under his burden, inafmuch as too many fought to be fayed at one time; and one of them, as it was thought, happened unluckily to .catch hold of the horfe’s bridle, and by that means drew its head under water. This bold and enterprizing philanthropift commands our elteem and admiration the more, as he had put himfelf into this danger for the relief, of others, without himfelf being able to fwim. I have therefore confi- dered it as my peculiar duty, as well as a pleafure, to preferve preferve his name, which was V o l t e m a d , together with this gallant exploit of his in thefe pages. Infpired with v-oo-' fimilar fentiments, the Eall-India directors in Holland, on receiving intelligence of this affair, raifed a monument to his memory, in a manner worthy of themfelves and him, by calling one of their new-built lhips after his name, and ordering the whole ftory to be painted on the Item. Thefe orders were accompanied with letters to the regency at the Cape, the contents of which were as follows : That in cafe V o l t e m a d had left any iffue in the military or civil department, they Jhould take care to provide fo r them, and make their fortune as fpeedily and effe£Mally as poffible. But unfortunately, in the fouthem hemifphere they had not all the fame grateful fentiments. Theyoung corporal V o l t E m a d , who had been an eye-witnefs to his father’s having offered himfelf up in the fervice o f the company and o f mankind, was refufed his fathers place, though the appointment to it could fcarcely be confidered as any promotion.' From mere chagrin, therefore, he had already quitted that ungrateful country, and was gone to Batavia, where he died before the news of fo great and unexpeited a recommendation could reach him; -There were feveral inhabitants of the Cape, who, while they, with a laudable emotion, lamented the unhappy fate of V o l t e m a d and his fon, affirmed, that afmall line might, by fome good iwimmer, or; by Voltemad himfelf, have been handed from the flrand to the Ihip; by means-of which one. or more flout ropes might have been ftretched out between thefe latter, for the purpofe o f favirig the crew. It was likewife thought, that the iffuing of that fevere
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