the decks slippery with human gore, the ship without a mast standing, and the breakers all around. The Indefatigable was seen on the starboard quarter, standing off, in a most tremendous sea, from the Penmarck rocks, which threatened her with instant destruction. On the larboard side, at the distance of about two miles, was seen the Amazon, whose fate had just been sealed. That of the Droits-de-l'Homme drew near. She struck. Shrieks issued from every quarter of the ship, and all was horror and dismay. Many early victims were swept from the wreck by the merciless waves, which kept incessantly breaking over the ship. Daylight appeared, and the shore was seen lined with people; but who, in the stormy state of the weather, could not render the least assistance.

As soon as it was low water some of the boats were launched. The first two were carried away by the waves before a person could embark in them, and were dashed to pieces against the rocks that lined the beach. A pass-rope, or vat-et-vient, was next tried; and a raft, constructed of spare yards, was made fast to the end of a rope, which was slackened by degrees from the ship, to allow it to drift on shore; but, the weight of the rope retarding the raft in its progress, and a sea washing off some of the men that were upon it, the remainder cut themselves clear and gained the shore. The attempt to get a rope on shore by this means was again tried, and again failed. At length the ship's master-sailmaker, Lamandé by name, offered to swim on shore with a cord, to which a suitable pass-rope might afterwards be attached; but, by the time he had reached about half way to the shore, he became exhausted with fatigue, and was dragged on board again by his own cord, without the aid of which he would certainly have perished. The day closed, and an awful night ensued.

The dawn of the second day, the 15th, brought with it but an increase of misery. Owing to the sea having stove in the stern, and filled the hold with water, the people had now been nearly 30 hours without any food, and the wants of nature could by many scarcely be endured. At low water this day a small boat was hoisted out, and an English captain and eight seamen, part of the prisoners, succeeded in reaching the shore. Elated at the success of these daring fellows, all thought their deliverance at hand, and many of the Frenchmen launched out on their rafts; but alas! death soon put an end to their hopes. Another night was lingered through. On the third day, the 16th, larger rafts were constructed, and the largest boat was got over the side. The intention was, to place in this boat the surviving wounded, the two women and six children, and the helpless men; but the notion of equality; prevailing over every other consideration, destroyed all subordination, and nearly 120 men, in defiance of their officers, jumped into the boat and sank it. A wave of an enormous magnitude came at the same instant ; and, for nearly

^ back to top ^