st, and of his own accord
threw himself into the sea. The rebels rushed forward to avenge their
comrades; 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 Lieut. Danglas! In this assault the unfortunate sutler was
a second time thrown into the sea. M. Coudin, assisted by some
workmen, saved her, to prolong for a little while her torment and her
existence.

In this terrible night Lavilette failed not to give proofs of the
rarest intrepidity. It was to him and some of those who had survived
the sequel of our misfortunes, that we owed our safety. At last, after
unheard of efforts, the rebels were once more repulsed, and quiet
restored. Having escaped this new danger, we endeavored to get some
repose. The day at 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 deplorable
condition. The sea-water had almost entirely excoriated the skin of
our lower extremities; we were covered with contusions or wounds,
which, irritated by the salt water, extorted 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 abandonment. 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.

This 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 increased still more by the courage he
had shown, and the services he had performed, for he had already made
in the preceding year a campaign in the East Indies, inspired us all
with the greatest pity for this young victim, devoted to so