Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-12-03
sHIfWRECK OF THE MEDUsE FRENCH
FRiGNIE
TFTom Me .JeurNoI ales DeLafs.I

OF The fatal sfipwreclS OF this vessel almost
WITHIN ssht Or Cape Bianco, on the African
coast, winch to9k place on tue III July This
frlgate was Carrying out tie French Governor
OF Senegal, and, besides lis complement OF sea-
men, mad d numbeioi officers and soldiers on
board.
The following are some details respectine
THIS iamcntabio as well as ineNpioabie affair
written by one oi-the actors and sufferers in
this scene of unparalleled horror. Ii viii be
proper tO mention that the recital commences
1t the moment when the Meduse having been
wrecked, II became necessary TO divide the
crew among Che boats OF the frigate and raft
which was hastily constructed of its masts and
yards.
The writer, we suppose, leaves it to the cap
tam AID other marine officers (T alive TO eN-
plan how Tie slpwreck took place
p" On the sin OF July, 1916, the embarEation of
the crew ard the soldiers III the boats and raft
took place without order, aud in the greatest
confusion. There ought to have been 20 real
seamen on the raft, and scarcely 10 were put
upon 1t. One hundred and torty-seycn persons
were contdei to this fiail machine. The pre-
cIfitation with which it was huilt, prevented il
from being tittedup with ratings, because, pro
badly, those who caused IL 10 be constructed,
had no intention of committing themselves 10 it,
! iic raft was about OJ fee long If sOidlV put
together, il would have been able to bear POO
men but we had soon proofs OF its weakness
II was without sails or masts there WAS place
upon it anuInber OF quart measures Of -four,
barrels of wine, and two casks OF water: .,ut
not single biscuit.
Scarcely had fifty men set foot OH the raft,
wheIIs sunk at least two feet. TO facilitate the
eInbarkatiOn Of other soldiers Oh the raf. we
were compelled TO throw into the sea all the
quarts OF Tour the wine and water were alone
preserved and the embarkaticn was continued
until we toupd ourselves LII IL number. The
raft mad sWuh at least three feet, and so closely
were we bundled together, that II was impossi-
bic 10 move SINGLE step. Fore and ait, We had
the water up to our middle.-At the moment
we left the irigate, abont 2clbs. of biscu were
thrown 10 us, which fell into The sea, whence it
was recovered W tn difficulty, and reduced al
most To paste we priced At, however, in this
state.
1t had been settled that all the boats of the
frTatc were 70 tow US, and Tie officers who
commanded them had sworn that they would
he, ca abandon us. / am far from accusing
these gentlemen OF a breach of honour a fatal
Chain Of circumstances doubtless compelled
them 10 renounce the generous plan which
they had formed TO save US or die with VS.
These circumstances merit an investigations
Tue boatin which was the Governor threw
70 rs tIe iirst towing rope. shouts of Dire ie
Rel were d thousand times repeated by the peo-
pic on tiIe raft, and snail white flag was hOis-
cCd on tire extremity of a IGusket barrel The
Commandment appointed 10 the raft was Mid
sripnssn ut the first class, Of the maine Of Con
uiI.
g II all the efforts Of the boats had constant
]y acted upon rs, tayOurcd as we were by the |
sea breeze, VIC should nave reached land IN less |
tbdn days; for the tTigato was not wrecked |
JuCfe thaa twelve or fifteen leagues from the |
sEOTe such were the calculations of the Off |
GERS, which turned ont to be correct, because |
on the very day OF departure, the boats got |
sight land before SUNSET. The LIST Lieutenant |
OF TIE trgdte, seeing that his efforts became |
useless, after having toweh us alone for "a few !
cut the cable attached to the raft, <
lett US 10 cur fate. Several peTsonSdeciarcd TO
me, that after this operation, they heard tile bar
barOUs cry Of" Let US abandon them" / had !
this fact from several persons
" indeed, we were not convinced that we
were entirely abandoned, until the boats were
almost entirely out ofsiglst. Our CONSERVATION
was tiICu extreme: all the Horrors of famine q
thirst were then depicted to ORG magiHations
and Wc has l.sD to struggle with treacherons
. lemcnt, ltch aready covered one half Of our |
bodies. ~ Tic soldiers and sailors gave tlcin-
selves up % despair, and IL with great diff
c.liy thai y ,succeedcd 10 calming them.
" We lad embarked without haVing taken n
p, ncur shment; hunger began 60 make itself
Impcrcusiy tel, a little biscuit, stepped in a
iittc wife, ioIred Ctn urst iepast, and u was
the Dcst sc made during 0ur abode OD the
Idtt. semegrAC was established for tie dis !
triIutiGa % oar WEetchcd pittiLce; rs the
first day, - hIlh passed ia toleIaJie tfanguii.i-
~, tie b.EcVstEas exhausted. Ia tic night |
oui hearts ana h1f prayers, by sentiment na-
tuTai % TIE unto tdnate, tnTned towards Eeo-
ten--ws invoked Il with ffyNouf, and derived
from or prayers nc advantage CT hoping log
SC sali cherished tie idea, that Tie divisi-
Oa bodis woulG hasten to return 10 ouI assis-
tancc. Night, however, caue without fultil- |
hue Os- iiopcs-'iAe uitid fieslened there was
q sAs.teraDie swell Of the sea what fright
fDi night.
" DuruT his nriit, great Number of our
a.. scfs. sflu lsgt uotsi se.nulu's foot tr,~ I
BED oYeruns another. IN iine, glter TIVE hours
OF DE w. cruel sCierugs. ds, arrived. What
. epccst.ic presented ttetsft t. orr view Ten
e. 'weNe Z Anaie esesiefes hiyiny heir
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