THE COASTS OP SAINTONGE. 263 



frightful. After having eaten the most loathsome 

 animals, and attempted to substitute pounded bones 

 and sawdust for corn, and leather or parchment in 

 the place of meat, the Rochellais attempted to cheat 

 their hunger by devouring plaster and grated slates. 

 Many fed upon the bodies of the dead, and one woman 

 died in the act of devouring her own arm. The 

 bodies of the dead encumbered the streets and re- 

 mained unburied till they were entirely decomposed. 

 The living, who were covered with a black skin, 

 through which their bones protruded, experienced 

 the most horrible pain on the slightest touch. To- 

 wards the close of the siege, 400 persons died daily, 

 and when, after fourteen months and sixteen days' 

 blockade, Louis XIII. made his entrance into La 

 Rochelle he could not restrain his tears at the sight 

 of so much suffering, although precautions had been 

 taken to render the spectacle as free from horror as 

 possible. Only 5,000 Rochellais received him and 

 implored his pardon and favour ; out of the 28,000 

 inhabitants which the city had contained at the begin- 

 ning of the siege 23,000 had died of famine.* 



A whole population seldom attains this degree of 

 heroic constancy, if it be not sustained by some noble 

 spirit who can inspire them with his own energy. 

 Such a man was Jean Guiton. Descended from a 

 family of eschevins, and the son and grandson of mayors, 

 this celebrated Rochellais had at first exclusively oc- 

 cupied himself with the cares of business and the 



* A thousand persons died from the effects of their privations 

 after the surrender of the city, and there remained therefore only 

 about 4000 of the original population of La Rochelle. 



s 4 



