126 



WRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 



again took place on the tenth day after being on board the raft. 

 After a distribution of wine, several of our companions conceived 

 the idea of destroying themselves after finishing the little wine 

 that remained : When people are as wretched as we," said they, 

 " they have nothing to wish for but death." We made the 

 strongest remonstrances to them ; but their diseased brains could 

 only fix on the rash project they had conceived ; a new contest 

 was, therefore, on the point of commencing, but at length they 

 yielded to our remonstrances. Many of us, after receiving our 

 small portion of wine, fell into a state of intoxication, and often a 

 great misunderstanding arose. At other times we were pretty 

 quiet, and sometimes our natural spirits inspired a smile, in spite 

 of the horrors of our situation. Says one, if the brig is sent in 

 search of us, let us pray God to give her the eyes of Argus;" al- 

 luding to the name of the vessel which we supposed was coming 

 in search of us. One day I awoke M. Coudin, who was lying near 

 me : " You have done me an injury, (said he ;) I fancied myself 

 near a fountain, where I was quenching my thirst." "Hold 

 your tongue 1" spontaneously exclaimed all our companions ; for 

 nothing was more afflicting to us than the idea of others being 

 able to satisfy every want of nature. 



The seventeenth, in the morning, thirteen days after being for- 

 saken, while each was enjoying the delights of his poor portion of 

 wine, a captain of infantry perceived a vessel in the horizon, and 

 announced it with a shout of joy. For some moments we were 

 suspended between hope and fear. Some said, they saw the ship 

 draw nearer ; others, that it was sailing away. Unfortunately, 

 these last were not mistaken, for the brig soon disappeared. From 

 excess of joy, we now fell back into a state of despair. For my 

 part, I was so accustomed to the idea of death, that I saw it ap- 

 proach with indifference. I had remarked many others terminate 

 their existence without great outward signs of pain ; they first be- 

 came quite dehrious, and nothing could appease them ; after that, 

 they fell into a state of imbecility, and ended their existence like 

 a lamp that goes out for want of oil. A boy of twelve years old, 

 unable to support these privations, sunk under them, on the eighth 

 day after our being forsaken. All spoke of this fine boy as de- 

 serving a better fate ; his angelic face, his melodious voice, and 

 his tender years, inspired us with the tenderest compassion for so 

 young a victim, devoted to so frightful and untimely a death. 



