SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 311 
ocean. One hundred and fifty wretches were embarked upon 
it, sunk to the depth of at least three feet on its fore part, and 
on its poop immersed even to the middle. What victuals 
they had were soon consumed, or spoiled by the salt-water ; 
and perhaps some, as the waves hurried them along", became 
food for the monsters of the deep. Two only of all the boats 
which left the Medusa, and these with very few people in 
them, were provisioned with every necessity ; these struck 
off with security and despatch. But the condition of those 
who were in the shallop was but little better than those 
upon the raft ; their great distance from the shore gave them 
the most melancholy anticipations of the future Their wor- 
thy commander, M. Espiau, had no other hope but of reach- 
ing the shore as soon as possible. The other boats were less 
filled with people, but they were scarcely better provisioned; 
and, as by a species of fatality, the pinnace, in which were 
our family, was destitute of every thing. Our provisions 
consisted of a barrel of biscuit and a tierce of water ; and, to 
add to our misfortunes, the biscuit being soaked in the sea, 
it was almost impossible to swallow one morsel of it. Each 
passenger in our boat was obliged to sustain his wretched ex- 
istence with a glass of water, which he could get only once 
a day. To tell how this happened, how this boat was so 
poorly supplied, whilst there was abundance left upon the 
Medusa, is far beyond my power. But it is at least certain 
that the greater part of the officers, commanding the boats, 
the shallop, the pinnace, the Senegal boat, and the yawl, were 
persuaded, when they quitted the frigate, that they Avould not 
abandon the raft, but that all the expedition would sail together 
to the coast of Sahara; that when there, the boats would be 
again sent to the Medusa, to take provisions, arms, and those 
who were left there; but it appears the chiefs had decided 
otherwise. 
After abandoning the raft, although scattered, all the boats 
formed a little fleet, and followed the same route. All who 
were sincere hoped to arrive the same day at the coast of the 
desert, and that every one would get on shore; but MM. 
Schmaltz and Lachaumareys gave orders to take the route 
for Senegal. This sudden change in the resolutions of the 
chiefs was like a thunderbolt to the officers commanding the 
boats. Having nothing on board but what was barely neces- 
sary to enable us to allay the cravings of hunger for one day, 
we were all sensibly affected. The other boats, which, like 
ourselves, hoped to have got on shore at the nearest point, 
