WRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 121 



raft, and lie was taken up a second time. The hope of still see- 

 ing Jhe boats come to oursuccom-, enabled ns to support the tor- 

 ments of hunger; but when night came on, the wind blew furi- 

 ously and the sea ran high. The last night had been frightful, 

 this one was still more horrible ; we were covered every moment 

 with mountains of water, that broke furiously over us ; extenuated 

 with fatigue and hunger, we had still to struggle with a furious 

 sea. I held fast to a rope, not to be carried off by the waves. I 

 calculated calmly enough the danger I was exposed to ; but I re- 

 marked sometimes, however, that my ideas were confused, and 

 many imaginary objects passed before my eyes. A devouring 

 hunger tore my bowels ; I earnestly asked those who were about 

 me for something to calm my sufferings ; I felt a horrible pain in 

 my stomach, as though it were torn out with pincers ; sentiments 

 of fury rose in my breast. A soldier, who had address enough 

 to keep a little biscuit, gave me a bit, weighing about a quarter 

 of an ounce ; I took it as a precious blessing, for it soon calmed 

 the cruel pains I was tormented with. I then gave myself up 

 again to my reflections ; all appeared less shocking now. The 

 soldiers and sailors, unable to satisfy the pressing wants they felt, 

 and persuaded they were going to be swallowed up, took the reso- 

 lution of softening their last moments by drinking till they had 

 lost their reason — a fatal resolution, suggested by despair. At- 

 tacking a hogshead in the centre of the raft, they pierced it, and 

 each took a considerable quantity of wine. This stimulating liquid 

 soon troubled their minds, already deranged ; and thus doubly 

 excited, the furious wretches would have their companions follow 

 their example. However, some of the people, desirous of preserv- 

 ing their existence, took part with those who wished to preserve 

 the raft these men endeavoured to destroy. A bloody contest 

 took place, and the revolters were subdued. Madness produced 

 the crudest ideas in some of them : five or six soldiers laying hold 

 of a foot officer, who was himself delirious, threw him into the 

 sea ; we took him up, however, and they laid hands on him, and 

 were going to blind him with a pen-knife. These soldiers in gene- 

 ral, from what reasons I know not, were peculiarly animated 

 against their officers. Order, however, being re-established, these 

 poor men humbly came to beg our pardon, which we granted in- 

 stantly : this sudden transition perfectly characterizes the state 

 they were in. 

 11 



