The raft, drawn by all the boats united, dragged them a little back; it is true that we just had the ebb, and the currents set from shore.  To be in the open sea with undecked vessels, might well inspire some apprehensions:  but, in a few hours, the currents would change and favor us; we ought to have waited for this moment, which would have infallibly demonstrated the possibility of drawing us to the coast, which was not above twelve or fifteen leagues distant:  this is so true that the boats discovered the coast, the same evening, before sunset.  Perhaps they would have been forced to forsake us the second night after our departure, if indeed more than thirty-six hours had been required to tow us to land; for the weather was very bad; but we should then have been very near to the coast, and it would have been very easy to save us:  at least we should have had only the elements to accuse!—­We are persuaded that a short time would have sufficed to tow us within sight of land, for, the evening of our being deserted, the raft was precisely in the direction which the boats had followed between the frigates and the coast, and, at least, five leagues from the former.  The next morning, at daybreak, we could no longer see the Medusa.[A9]

At the first moment we did not really believe that we had been so cruelly abandoned.  We imagined that the boats had let loose, because they had perceived a vessel, and hastened towards it to ask assistance.  The long-boat was pretty near us to leeward on the starboard.  She lowered her foresail half way down:  her manoeuvre made us think that she was going to take the first tow-rope:  she remained so a moment, lowered her foresail entirely, setup her main-mast, hoisted her sails, and followed the rest of the division.  Some men in this boat, seeing that the others deserted us, threatened to fire upon them, but were stopped by Lieutenant Espiau.  Many persons have assured us that it was the intention of this officer to come and take the tow-rope; but his crew opposed it; had he done so, he would certainly have acted with great imprudence.  His efforts would have been of little use to us, and his devotedness would but have increased the number of victims.[B6] As soon as this boat was gone, we had no doubt but that we were abandoned; yet we were not fully convinced of it till the boats had disappeared.

It was now that we had need of all our courage, which, however, forsook us more than once:  we really believed that we were sacrificed, and with one accord, we cried that this desertion was premeditated.  We all swore to revenge ourselves if we had the good fortune to reach the shore, and there is no doubt but that, if we could have overtaken, the next day, those who had fled in the boats, an obstinate combat would have taken place between, them and us.