WRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 



123 



after tlie unhappy fray, wlien tranquillity was restored, we fell into 

 the^ame state as before ; this insensibility was so great, that next 

 day I thought myself waking out of a disturbed sleep, asking the 

 people round me if they had seen an uproar, and heard any cries 

 of despair ? some answered me, that they too had been tormented 

 with the same visions, and that they were worn out with fatigue. 

 Monsieur Dupont, captain of infantry, was in so complete a state 

 of insensibility, that nothing could rouse him, till a sailor, who 

 was quite crazy, attempted to cut off his foot with a bad knife : 

 the lively pain this caused, brought him to his senses. He com- 

 municated this observation to me himself, adding that his mind 

 had been continually agitated during the night. 



All these symptoms have great connection with those the sailors 

 usually feel in warm latitudes, particularly near the hne : this dis- 

 order is described by Sauvages, under the denomination of calen- 

 ture, 



" This disorder comes on during the night, while the patient is 

 asleep : he awakes quite delirious, his looks animated, and his 

 gestures express fury ; he speaks long and incoherently ; quits his 

 bed to run on the deck or forecastle, where he imagines seeing 

 trees and enamelled meadows in the water ; this illusion so de- 

 lights him, that he expresses his joy with a thousand exclama- 

 tions. He then endeavours to throw himself into the sea, and, at 

 last effecting his purpose, he is infallibly lost, in case his compan- 

 ions be not either quick or many enough to prevent him putting 

 his mad project in execution. His strength is so extraordinary 

 during this crisis, that four strong men are scarcely able to stop 

 him." — Dictionnaires des Sciences Medicales. 



There is a great analogy between the first symptom, above 

 mentioned, and what I have observed ; it was precisely during the 

 night the delirium we were seized with showed itself ; and, as soon 

 as day appeared, we were much calmer ; darkness again brought 

 back the disorder of our enfeebled minds. I perfectly remarked 

 in myself the exaltation of my ideas during the silence of night ; 

 then everything appeared extraordinary and fantastical. This 

 disposition, however, was not common to all who surrounded me. 

 During the sort of sleep in which I was plunged, and on my wa- 

 king, I appreciated, however confusedly, the great danger to 

 which I was exposed, and I endeavoured to banish the fallacious 

 dreams that assailed me. Many experienced the same sensations 

 as I did, but others became completely dehrious. 



