382 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA, 
in a determined manner upon us ; we stood on our defence ; 
the attack commenced. Animated by despair, one of them 
aimed a strok«! at an officer ; the rebel instantly fell, pierced 
with wounds. This firmness awed them for an instant, but 
diminished nothing of their rage. They ceased to advance, 
and withdrew, presenting to us a front bristling with sabres 
and bayonets, to the back part of the raft, to execute their 
plan. One of them feigned to rest himself on the small rail- 
ings on the sides of the raft, and with a knife began cutting 
the cords. Being told by a servant, one of us sprung upon 
him. A soldier, wishing to defend him, struck at the officer 
with his knife, which only pierced his coat ; the officer wheel- 
ed round, seized his adversary, and threw both him and his 
comrade into the sea. 
There had been as yet but partial affairs: the combat now 
became general. Some one cried to lower the sail ; a crowd 
of infuriated mortals threw themselves in an instant upon the 
haulyards, and shrouds, and cut them. The fall of the mast 
almost broke the thigh of a captain of infantry, who fell in- 
sensible. He was seized by the soldiers, who threw him into 
the sea. We saved him and placed him on a barrel, whence 
he was taken by the rebels, who wished to put out his eyes 
with a penknife. Exasperated by so much brutality, we no 
longer restrained ourselves, but rushed in upon them, and 
charged them with fury. Sword in hand, we traversed the 
line which the soldiers formed, and many paid with their lives 
the errors of their revolt. Various passengers, during these 
cruel moments, evinced the greatest courage and coolness. 
M. Correard fell into a sort of swoon ; but hearing at eve- 
ry instant the cries, To arms I with us, comrades ; we are 
lost ! joined with the groans and imprecations of the wounded 
and dying, was soon roused from his lethargy. All this hor- 
rible tumult speedily made him comprehend how necessary it 
was to be upon his guard. Armed with his sabre, he gath- 
ered together some of his workmen on the front of the raft, 
and there charged them to hurt no one, unless they were at- 
tacked. He almost always remained with them ; and sev- 
eral times they had to defend themselves against the rebels, 
who, swimming round to the point of the raft, placed M. Cor- 
reard and his little troop between two dangers, and made their 
position very difficult to defend. At every instant he was op- 
posed to men armed with knives, sabres, and bayonets. Ma- 
ny had carabines, which they wielded as clubs. Every effort 
was made to stop them, by holding them off at the point of 
