CHAPTER XVI.

Charles Sturt, M.P. for Bridport-His Gallantry in Rescuing some Shipwrecked Seamen-His Perilous Adventure and Great Presence of Mind-Mr. Sturt in the House of Commons-The young Ensign and the Town-Clerk-The Reverend Fell Akehurst—An Imaginary Address of his to the Countess of Bessborough, by Lord John Townshend-Lines by the same Nobleman to the Memory of his Daughter -The Foreign Grave-Lord John Townshend's Death.

No man better deserves a passing biographical notice than the late Charles Sturt, formerly M.P. for Bridport, for he was one of the most open-hearted, generous, and charitable men of his day, and many were the striking incidents in his life. His large fortune enabled him to indulge such a disposition without restraint; and in the town he represented he was idolised by all classes,-more especially, however, by the blue-jackets, who would have made Bridport a most uncomfortable abiding-place to any one who said anything against him. These men looked upon him as one of themselves, for he was devotedly fond of yachting, which, from his island-castle of Brownsea, he had every opportunity of enjoying; but the adoration in which he was held by the sailors of the town and coast rested not only on his love of that pursuit,

but the great personal courage he displayed in his impetuous desire to do good;-he was, indeed, always "in the van," and frequently at the risk of his own life.

On the 1st of February 1799, the Bee, bound for the West Indies, went on shore on the sands at Poole, the wind being at east, and blowing a tremendous gale, with heavy snow. The boats of the Tickler, gun-brig, went off to her assistance; they failed, however, in their attempts to reach her, and she was left to her fate; but, in the course of the day, the crew were rescued by Charles Sturt, after having been, with his men, twice thrown from his boat into the breakers.

Eighteen months after this exploit, being out in his cutter about two leagues from shore, and sailing against Mr. Weld's yacht, off Lulworth Castle, he observed that his own boat towing astern retarded her progress, and ordered a boy to take her ashore. The sea running very high, the lad declined, as did also the men; when Mr. Sturt, feeling it then a point of honour, immediately jumped into her: at this instant the rope gave way, and, by the force of the wind and receding tide, he was drifted to sea; soon after which the boat upset. In this perilous situation his presence of mind did not forsake him: he regained, by swimming, his station on the keel, and pulled off all his clothes except his trousers. It was after one of the many desperate struggles that he made of the same kind, that, giving up all for lost, he

wrote with a pencil on a slip of paper, which he put in his watch-case, the following words, "Charles Sturt, Brownsea, to his beloved wife," and fastened the watch to his trousers.

Shortly after, and almost by a miracle, a mate of a transport, three miles to windward, the last of several that had passed, happened to observe him, and four resolute fellows immediately embarked in a boat to his assistance; but as there was a heavy sea running, and they could only see him occasionally, it was not till after a hard pull of nearly two hours that they reached him. Poor Sturt was all but exhausted, and on the eve of relinquishing his failing hold upon the boat, when his preservers took him into theirs : unable to articulate his thanks, he lifted his hands to Heaven, and instantaneously burst into a flood of tears. Mr. Sturt was one of those who, after the short peace of Amiens, and in violation of the acknowledged laws of nations, were detained prisoners in France, from which country he escaped by his own energy and enterprise.

In politics he was a Whig, and he seconded some of the late lamented Sir Francis Burdett's early motions in the House of Commons: in debate he was most vehement, and not very discreet. When Mr. Whitbread moved for a committee to inquire into the conduct of ministers respecting the French invasion of Ireland, his abuse of the Treasurer of the Navy was most copious. "The whole statement of the security of Ireland made by the honourable gentle

man (Mr. Dundas)," said Mr. Sturt, "is a mis-statement; he hoped in God he would not have much longer the direction of naval or any other affairs. He might wriggle, and grin" (Mr. Dundas shewing symptoms of uneasiness), "and twist, and toss his head about, as much as he pleased, but he hoped it would soon be twisted somewhere else."

The Sturts were not only a gallant but a merry race, and a most laughable anecdote is told of a relation of the member's, I believe a brother, who was in the army. This young gentleman, when an ensign in the Regiment, was quartered at Colchester, the town-clerk of which place, a Mr. S———, was a particularly thrifty attorney, who, in the pride of his heart, had given out, not by the bellman, but next to it, that he could, would, and should give the two Misses S the sum of twenty thousand pounds This want of caution, betrayed him, made it

each on their wedding-day. into which his vanity had necessary, as he fancied, to exclude the officers of the garrison from all participation in his hospitalities; and his extreme discretion naturally became the subject of many a joke and discussion amongst them.

In one of these mess-room gossips young Sturt, to the amazement of his companions, offered a bet that he would dine with the unapproachable treasures at their papa's own table, at a dinner-party for which they all knew that invitations had just been sent out. Of course the bet was quickly taken, and, on the day in question, young Sturt walked up to the attorney's

door precisely at the dinner hour, and begged that he might see Mr. S on most urgent business. He was immediately admitted, for that gentleman had no idea of losing a client, though in a red coat; but he was not a little astonished when the officer gravely informed him that he was the bearer of intelligence that would save him ten thousand pounds. At this juncture, however, the dinner was announced, and Sturt, with well-feigned regret, was on the point of retiring, saying that he would call the next morning, when the bewildered lawyer, fearful of neglecting his guests, perhaps old clients, and yet distressed at the idea of losing his particulars, became totally forgetful of the dangerous chance to which he exposed the Misses S, and pressed him to join the party. This, after proper hesitation, the ensign consented to do, and taking good care to place himself next to the forbidden fruit, made fierce love to the youngest lady and her father's oldest port during the repast.

No sooner was this over, and the gentlemen on their way to the drawing-room, than Mr. S-—, now in a perfect fever, hurried the young gentleman into his private room, the door of which was scarcely closed when he exclaimed, "Well, Mr. Sturt, how can you possibly save me ten thousand pounds?" "Why, sir," said the gallant five-and-threepence (sad odds in favour of six-and-eightpence), "they say in the town that you will, on their marriage, give your daughters twenty thousand pounds apiece; now, Mr. S——, I will take either of them with ten." Tradition has not