CXVi AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



Pollux on board. The general perturbation 

 was much increased by a sudden report that 

 the Monjibello was actually sinking, and a 

 demand was immediately made by the passen- 

 gers to be put on shore at the nearest point of 

 land. 



Prince Canino (Charles Bonaparte) had come 

 passenger in the Monjibello from Leghorn ; 

 and his exertions to save us were beyond all 

 praise. The fatal collision had taken place 

 some five miles from the Island of Elba. The 

 prince immediately offered his services to go 

 to Portolongoni, in order to obtain permission 

 for us to land there. Indeed, under Heaven, 

 we already owed our lives to Prince Canino, 

 for when the Monjibello had backed out from 

 the wreck of the Pollux, and was in the act of 

 sheering off from alongside of us, he, with the 

 characteristic judgment of his uncle Napoleon 

 in the hour of need, ran to the helm, and, 

 knocking the steersman aside, took hold of it 

 himself, and placed the Monjibello in a situation 

 to enable us to pass on board of her from the 

 sinking Pollux. Had the prince not done this, 

 the loss of life would have been terrible, for 

 we had been deprived of our boat, three people 



