OF LANDING--THE BOAT IN WHICH THE
PICARD FAMILY IS LEAKS MUCH--UNHEARD-OF SUFFERINGS--TERRIBLE
SITUATION OF THE FAMILY--FRIGHTFUL TEMPEST--DESPAIR OF THE
PASSENGERS.

On the 5th of July, at ten in the morning, one hour after abandoning the
raft, and three after quitting the Medusa, M. Laperere, the officer of
our boat, made the first distribution of provisions. Each passenger had
a small glass of water and nearly the fourth of a biscuit. Each drank
his allowance of water at one draught, but it was found impossible to
swallow one morsel of our biscuit, it being so impregnated with
sea-water. It happened, however, that some was found not quite so
saturated. Of these we eat a small portion, and put back the remainder
for a future day. Our voyage would have been sufficiently agreeable, if
the beams of the sun had not been so fierce. On the evening we perceived
the shores of the Desert; but as the two chiefs (MM. Schmaltz and
Lachaumareys) wished to go right for Senegal, notwithstanding we were
still one hundred leagues from it, we were not allowed to land. Several
officers remonstrated, both on account of our want of provisions and the
crowded condition of the boats, for undertaking so dangerous a voyage.
Others urged with equal force, that it would be dishonouring the French
name, if we were to neglect the unfortunate people on the raft, and
insisted we should be set on shore, and whilst we waited there, three
boats should return to look after the raft, and three to the wrecks of
the frigate, to take up the seventeen who were left there, as well as a
sufficient quantity of provisions to enable us to go to Senegal by the
way of Barbary. But MM. Schmaltz and Lachaumareys, whose boats were
sufficiently well provisioned, scouted the advice of their subalterns,
and ordered them to cast anchor till the following morning. They were
obliged to obey these orders, and to relinquish their designs. During
the night, a certain passenger, who was doubtless no doctor, and who
believed in ghosts and witches, was suddenly frightened by the
appearance of flames, which he thought he saw in the waters of the sea,
a little way from where our boat was anchored. My father, and some
others, who were aware that the sea is sometimes phosphorated, confirmed
the poor credulous man in his belief, and added several circumstances
which fairly turned his brain. They persuaded him the Arabic sorcerers
had fired the sea to prevent us from travelling alon