om the back to the
front; we were obliged to keep to the centre, the firmest part of the
raft, and those who could not get there almost all perished. Before
and behind the waves dashed impetuously, and swept away the men in
spite of all their resistance. At the centre the pressure was such,
that some unfortunates were suffocated by the weight of their
comrades, who fell upon them at every instant. The officers kept by
the foot of the little mast, and were obliged every moment to call to
those around them to go to the one or the other side to avoid the
waves; for the sea coming nearly athwart us, gave our raft nearly a
perpendicular position, to counteract which, they were forced to throw
themselves upon the side raised by the sea.

The soldiers and sailors, frightened by the presence of almost
inevitable danger, doubted not that they had reached their last hour.
Firmly believing they were lost, they resolved to soothe their last
moments by drinking till they lost their senses. We had no power to
oppose this disorder. They seized a cask which was in the centre of
the raft, made a little hole in the end of it, and, with small tin
cups, took each a pretty large quantity; but they were obliged to
cease, for the sea water rushed into the hole they had made. The fumes
of the wine failed not to disorder their brains, already weakened by
the presence of danger and want of food. Thus excited, these men
became deaf to the voice of reason. They wished to involve, in one
common ruin, all their companions in misfortune. They avowedly
expressed their intention of freeing themselves from their officers,
who they said, wished to oppose their design; and then to destroy the
raft, by cutting the ropes which united its different parts.
Immediately after they resolved to put their plans into execution. One
of them advanced upon the side of the raft with a boarding axe, and
began to cut the cords. This was the signal of revolt. We stepped
forward to prevent these insane mortals, and he who was armed with the
hatchet, with which he even threatened an officer, fell the first
victim; a stroke of a sabre terminated his existence.

This man was an Asiatic, and a soldier in a colonial regiment. Of a
colossal stature, short hair, a nose extremely large, an enormous
mouth and dark complexion, he made a most hideous appearance. At first
he had placed himself in the middle of the raft, and, at each blow of
his fist, knocked down every one who oppos