SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. S07 
ed orders to take us in, but, as he was already a great way 
from the frigate, we were certain he had abandoned us. My 
father, however, hailed him, but he persisted on his way to 
gain the open sea. A short \yhile afterward we perceived a 
small boat upon the waves, which seemed desirous to approach 
the Medusa ; it was the yawl. When it was sufficiently near, 
my father implored the sailors who were in it to take us on 
board, and to carry us to the pinnace, where our family ought 
to be placed. They refused. He then seized a firelock, which 
lay by chance upon deck, and svv^ore he would kill every 
one of them if they refused to take us into the yawl, adding 
that it was the property of the king, and that he would have 
advantage from it as well as another. The sailors murmured, 
but durst not resist, and received all our family, which con- 
sisted of nine persons, viz. four children, our stepmother, my 
cousin, my sister Caroline, my father, and myself. A small 
box, filled with valuable papers, which we wished to save, 
some clothes, two bottles of ratafia, which we had endeavored 
to preserve amidst our misfortunes, were seized and thro^vn 
overboard by the sailors of the yawl, who told us we would 
find in the pinnace every thing which we could wish for our 
voyage. We had then only the clothes which covered us, ne- 
ver thinking of dressing ourselves in two suits ; but the loss 
which affected us most was that of several manuscripts, at 
which my father had been laboring for a long while. Our 
trunks, our linen, and various chests of merchandise of great 
value ; in a word, every thing we possessed was left in the 
Medusa. When we boarded the pinnace the officer who com- 
manded it began excusing himself for having set ofi* without 
forewarning us, as he had been ordered, and said a thousand 
things in his justification. But, without believing half of his 
fine protestations, we felt very happy in having overtaken him ; 
for it is most certain that they had no intention of encumber- 
ing themselves with our unfortunate family. I say encumber, 
for it is evident that four children, one of whom was yet at the 
breast, were very indifferent beings to people who were actu- 
ated by a selfishness beyond all parallel. When we were 
seated in the long-boat, my father dismissed the sailors with 
the yawl, telling them he would ever gratefully remember 
their services. They speedily departed, but little satisfied with 
the good action they had done. My father hearing their mur- 
murs and the abuse they poured out against us, said, loud 
enough for all in the boat to hear, " We are not surprised 
sailors are destitute of shame, when their officers blush at be- 
