WRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 



121 



Our oldest soldiers, and indeed every one, eagerly assisted him, as 

 far^as circumstances permitted. But alas! it was all in vain; 

 neither the wine, nor every other consolation, could save him ; and 

 he expired in Monsieur Coudin's arms. As long as he was able 

 to move, he was continually running from one side of the raft to 

 the other, calling out for his mother, for water, and for food. 



About six o'clock on the seventeenth, one of our companions, 

 looking out, on|a sudden stretching his hands forward, and scarce- 

 ly able to breathe, cried out, " Here's the brig almost alongside 

 and, in fact, she was actually very near. We threw ourselves on 

 each others' necks with frantic transports, while tears trickled down 

 our withered cheeks. She soon bore upon us within pistol-shot, 

 sent a boat, and presently took us all on board ! 



We had scarcely escaped, when some of us became delirious 

 again : a military officer was going to leap into the sea, as he said, 

 " to take up his pocket book," and would certainly have done so 

 but for those about him ; others were affected in the same manner 

 but. in a less degree. 



Fifteen days after our deliverance, I felt the species of mental 

 derangement which is produced by great misfortunes ; my mind 

 was in a continual agitation, and during the night I often awoke, 

 thinking myself still on the raft ; and many of my companions ex- 

 perienced the same effects. One Francois became deaf, and re- 

 mained for a long time in a state of idiotism. Another frequent- 

 ly lost his recollection ; and my own memory, remarkably good 

 before this event, was weakened by it in a sensible manner. 



At the moment in which I am recalling the dreadful scenes to 

 which I have been witness, they present themselves to my imagi- 

 nation like a frightful dream. All these horrible scenes from 

 w^hich I so miraculously escaped, seem now as only a point in my 

 existence. Restored to health, my mind sometimes recalls the 

 visions that tormented it during the fever that consumed it. In 

 those dreadful moments we were certainly attacked with a cere- 

 bral fever, in consequence of excessive mental irritation. And 

 even now, sometimes in the night, after having met with any dis- 

 appointment, and when the wind is high, my mind recalls the 

 fatal raft. I see a furious ocean ready to swallow me up, hands 

 uphfted to strike me, and the whole train of human passions let 

 loose : revenge, fury, hatred, treachery and despair, surrounding me ! 



