g mustered but thirty men
alive; and these sick and wounded, with the skin of their lower
extremities corroded by the salt water. Two soldiers were detected
drinking the wine of the only remaining cask; they were instantly thrown
into the sea. One boy died, and there remained only twenty-seven; of
whom fifteen only seemed likely to live. A council of war, preceded by
the most horrid despair, was held; as the weak consumed a part of the
common store, they determined to throw them into the sea. This sentence
was put into immediate execution! and all the arms on board, which now
filled their minds with horror, were, with the exception of a single
sabre, committed to the deep.

Distress and misery increased with an accelerated ratio; and even after
the desperate measure of destroying their companions, and eating the
most nauseous aliments, the surviving fifteen could not hope for more
than a few days' existence. A butterfly lighted on their sail the ninth
day, and though it was held to be a messenger of good, yet many a
greedy eye was cast upon it. Some sea-fowl also appeared; but it was
impossible to catch them. The misery of the survivors increased with a
rapidity which cannot be described; they even stole from each other
little goblets of urine which had been set to cool in the sea water, and
were now considered a luxury. The most trifling article of food, a
lemon, a small bottle of spirituous dentrifice, a little garlic, became
causes of contention; and every daily distribution of wine awakened a
spirit of selfishness and ferocity, which common sufferings and common
interest could not subdue into more social feelings.

Three days more passed over in expressible anguish, when they
constructed a smaller and more manageable raft, in the hope of directing
it to the shore; but on trial it was found insufficient. On the
seventeenth day, a brig was seen; which, after exciting the vicissitudes
of hope and fear, proved to be the Argus, sent out in quest of the
Medusa. The inhabitants of the raft were all received on board, and were
again very nearly perishing, by a fire which broke out in the night.
The six boats which had so cruelly cast them adrift, reached the coast
of Africa in safety; and after many dangers among the Moors, the
survivors arrived at St. Louis.

After this, a vessel was despatched to the wreck of the Medusa, to carry
away the money and provisions; after beating about for eight days, she
was forced to retur