WRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 



115 



ger, and driven to distraction by our frightful situation, at length 

 toi*^ off the flesh from the dead bodies that covered the raft, and 

 devoured it instantly. The officers and passengers I had united 

 myself to, could not overcome the repugnance inspired by such 

 horrible food ; and it was agreed to allow us a greater portion of 

 wine ; we, however, tried to eat the belts of our sabres and car- 

 touch-boxes, and we succeeded in swallowing some small pieces ; 

 others swallowed rags and the leather lining of hats, that were 

 either greasy or dirty : but we were forced to abandon these ex- 

 pedients which brought no relief to the anguish caused by total 

 abstinence. 



It is hardly possible to imagine so great a change as that which 

 had taken place in our bodies ; four days' suffering had rendered 

 the most robust men scarcely recognizable ; those naturally lean, 

 and apparently weak, underwent little change ; in general, from 

 twenty -five to forty years of age appeared the most favourable for 

 resisting such privations ; the children, the young men, and the 

 old ones, were the first to sink under them. In the evening, this 

 day, we were fortunate enough to take near two hundred flying 

 fishes, which we divided and devoured immediately ; this meal re- 

 paired our strength and courage. Having found some gun-pow- 

 der, we made a fire to dress our fish ; but our portions were so 

 small, and our hunger so great, that we added human flesh, which 

 the cooking rendered less disgusting ; this was the first time the 

 officers partook of it. 



Another engagement took place during the night, and in the 

 morning only thirty were left alive on the fatal raft ; the survivors, 

 however, were in the most deplorable condition. The sea-water 

 by continually irritating the surface of our lower extremities, had 

 rendered them so sensible, that the smallest body that touched 

 them caused the most excruciating anguish ; add to that our be- 

 ing covered with bruises or ulcerated wounds, so that our existence 

 could only be a succession of sufterances the smallest cause would 

 aggravate. During all this time, continually immersed in water, 

 we scarcely felt the sensation of thirst ; but two days later, when 

 we were only fifteen left alive, (having raised up the middle of the 

 raft to lie on,) it became intolerable ; a burning sun scorching us, 

 our mouths were parched up, and in vain we endeavoured to pro- 

 voke the secretion of sahva — the power was gone. We put our- 

 selves on short allowance, to make the little wine that was left last 



