390 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 
guish it. We cooked some fish and ate them with extreme 
avidity ; but our hunger was such, and our portion so small, 
that we added to it some of the sacrilegious viands, which the 
cooking rendered less revolting. This some of the oflicers 
touched for the first time. From this day we continued to eat 
it; but we could no longer dress it, the means of making a 
fire having been entirely lost ; the barrel having caught fire, 
we extinguished it, without being able to preserve any thing 
to rekindle it on the morrow. The powder and tinder were 
entirely done. This meal gave us all additional strength to 
support our fatigues. The night was tolerable, and would have 
been happy, had it not been signalized by a new massacre. 
Some Spaniards, Italians, and negroes, had formed a plot 
to throw us all into the sea. The negroes had told them that 
they w^ere very near the shore, and that, when there, they 
would enable them to traverse Africa without danger. We 
had to take to our arms again, the sailors, who had remained 
faithful to us, pointing out to us the conspirators. The first 
signal for battle was given by a Spaniard, who, placing him- 
self behind the mast, holding fast by it, made the sign of the 
cross with one hand, invoking the name of God, and with the 
other held a knife. The sailors seized him and threw him 
into the sea. An Italian, servant to an officer of the troops, 
who was in the plot, seeing all was discovered, armed him- 
self with the only boarding-ax left on the raft, made his re- 
treat to the front, enveloped himself in a piece of drapery he 
wore across his breast, and of his own accord threw himself 
into the sea. The rebels rushed forward to avenge their com- 
rades; a terrible conflict again commenced: both sides fought 
with desperate fury; and soon the fatal raft was strewed 
with dead bodies and blood, which should have been shed 
by other hands, and in another cause. In this tumult we 
heard them again demanding, with horrid rage, the head of 
Lieutenant Danglas ! In this assault the unfortunate sutler 
was again thrown into the sea. M. Coudin, assisted by some 
workmen, saved her, to prolong for a while her torments and 
her existence. 
In this terrible night Lavillette failed not to give proofs of 
the rarest intrepidity. It was to him and some of those who 
have survived the sequel of our misfortunes, that we owed 
our safety. At last, after unheard of efl^orts, the rebels were 
once more repulsed, and quiet restored. Having escaped this 
new danger, we endeavored to get some repose. The day at 
