SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 299 
lors at length refused to obey him, saying boldly that he was 
a vile impostor. But it was done. The man had gained the 
cronfidence of Captain Lachaumareys, who, ignorant of navi- 
gation himself, was doubtless glad to get some one to under- 
take his duty. But it must be told, and told, too, in the face 
of all Europe, that this blind and inept confidence was the 
sole cause of the loss of the Medusa frigate, as well as of all 
the crimes consequent upon it. 
Toward three in the afternoon, those officers who had 
gone on shore in the morning, returned on board loaded with 
vegetables, fruits and flowers. They laughed heartily at the 
mancBuvres that had been going on during their absence, 
which doubtless did not please the captain, who flattered him- 
self he had already found in this pilot Richefort a good and 
able seaman; such were his words. At four in the afternoon 
he took a southerly direction. M. Richefort then beaming 
with exultation for having, as he said, saved the Medusa from 
certain shipwreck, continued to give his pernicious counsels 
to Captain Lachaumareys, persuaded him he had been often 
employed to explore the shores of Africa, and that he was 
perfectly well acquainted with the Arguine Bank. The jour- 
nals of the 29th and 30th afford nothing very remarkable. 
The hot wind from the desert of Sahara began to be felt, 
which told us we approached the tropic ; indeed, the sun at 
noon seemed suspended perpendicularly above our heads, a 
phenomenon which few of us had ever seen. 
On the 1st of July we recognized Cape Bojador, and then 
saw the shores of Sahara. Toward ten in the morning they 
set about the frivolous ceremony which the sailors have in- 
vented for the purpose of exacting something from those pas- 
sengers who have never crossed the line. During the cere- 
mony the frigate doubled Cape Barbas, hastening to its de- 
struction. Captain Lachaumareys very good humoredly pre- 
sided at this species of baptism, while his dear Richefort pro- 
menaded the forecastle, and looked with indifference upon a 
shore bristling with danger. However that may be, all pass- 
ed on well ; nay, it may be even said that the farce was well 
played off. But the route which we pursued soon made us 
forget the short-lived happiness we had experienced. Every 
one began to observe the sudden change which had taken 
place in the color of the sea, as we ran upon a bank in shal- 
low water. A general murmur rose among the passengers 
and officers of the navy — they were far from partaking m 
the blind confidence of the captain. 
