SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDFSA. 391 
length dawned upon us for the fifth time. We were now no 
more than thirty in number. We had lost four or five of our 
faithful sailors, and those who survived were in the most de- 
plorable condition. The sea-water had almost entirely exco- 
riated the skin of our lower extremities ; we were covered with 
contusions or wounds, which, irritated by the salt water, ex- 
torted from us the most piercing cries. About twenty of us 
only were capable of standing upright or walking. Almost 
all our fish was exhausted ; we had but four days' supply of 
wine : in four days, said we, nothing will be left, and death 
will be inevitable. Thus came the seventh day of our aban- 
donment. In the course of the day two soldiers had glided 
behind the only barrel of wine that was left, pierced it, and 
were drinking by means of a reed. We had sworn that those 
who used such means should be punished with death ; which 
law was instantly put in execution, and the two transgressors 
were thrown into the sea. 
The same day saw the close of the life of. a child named 
Leon, aged twelve years. He died like a lamp which ceases 
to burn for want of aliment. All spoke in favor of this young 
and amiable creature, who merited a better fate. His angelic 
form, his musical voice, the interest of an age so tender, in- 
creased still more by the courage he had shown and the ser- 
vices he had performed, for he had already made in the pre- 
ceding year a campaign in the East-Indies, inspired us all 
"with the greatest pity for this young victim, devoted to so hor- 
rible and premature a death. Our old soldiers and all our peo- 
ple in general did every thing they could to prolong his ex- 
istence, but all was in vain. Neither the wine which they 
gave him without regret, nor all the means they employed, 
could arrest his melancholy doom, and he expired in the arms 
of M. Coudin, who had not ceased to give him the most un- 
wearied attention. Whilst he had strength to move he ran 
incessantly from one side to the other, loudly calling for his 
unhappy mother, for water and food. He trod indiscriminate- 
ly on the feet and legs of his companions in misfortune, who, 
in their turn, uttered sorrowful cries, but these were very 
rarely accompanied with menaces ; they pardoned all which 
the poor boy had made them suffer. He was not in his senses, 
consequently could not be expected to behave as if he had the 
use of his reason. 
There now remained but twenty-seven of us. Fifteen of 
that number seemed able to live yet some days ; the rest, co- 
vered with large wounds, had almost entirely lost the use of 
