386 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 
and some other workmen, formed themselves into small pla- 
toons, and rushed upon the insurgents with great impetuosity, 
overturning every one in their way, and retook M. Lozach, 
and placed him on the centre of the raft. 
The preservation of this officer cost us infinite difficulty. 
Every moment the soldiers demanded he should be delivered 
to them, designating him always by the name of Danglas. 
We endeavored to make them comprehend their mistake, and 
told them that they themselves had seen the person for whom 
they sought, return on board the frigate. They were insensi- 
ble to every thing Ave said ; every thing before them was 
Danglas; they saw him perpetually, and furiously and un* 
ceasingly demanded his head. It was only by force of arms 
we succeeded in repressing their rage and quieting their 
cries of death. 
Horrible night ! thou shrouded with thy gloomy veil these 
frightful combats, over w^hich presided the cruel demon of 
despair. 
We had also to tremble for the life of M. Coudin. Wound- 
ed and fatigued by the attacks which he had sustained with 
us, and in which he had shown a courage superior to every 
thing, he was resting himself on a barrel, holding in his arms 
a young sailor boy of twelve years of age, to whom he had 
attached himself The mutineers seized him with his barrel 
and threw him into the sea with the boy, whom he still held 
fast. In spite of his burden, he had the presence of mind to 
lay hold of the raft, and to save himself from extreme peril. 
We cannot yet comprehend how a handful of men should 
have been able to resist such a number so monstrously insane. 
We are sure we were not more than twenty to combat all 
these madmen. Let it not, however, be imagined that in the 
midst of all these dangers we had preserved our reason en- 
tire. Fear, anxiety, and the most cruel privations, had great- 
ly changed our intellectual faculties. But being somewhat 
less insane than the unfortunate soldiers, we energetically op- 
posed their determination of cutting the cords of the raft. 
Permit us now to make some observations concerning the dif- 
ferent sensations with which we were affected. 
During the first day, M. Griffin entirely lost his senses. 
He threw himself into the sea, but M. Savigny saved him 
with his own hands. His words were vague and unconnect- 
ed. A second time he threw himself in, but, by a sort of in- 
stinct, kept hold of the cross pieces of the rafl, and was again 
saved. 
