which has been accompanied by a delirium:  a thousand objects appear before the imagination of the patient:  when restored to health, he sometimes recollects the visions that have tormented him during the fever which consumed him, and exalted his imagination.  We were really seized with a fever on the brain, the consequence of a mental exaltation carried to the extreme.  As soon as daylight beamed upon us, we were much more calm:  darkness brought with it a renewal of the disorder in our weakened intellects.  We observed in ourselves that the natural terror, inspired by the cruel situation in which we were, greatly increased in the silence of the night:  then all objects seemed to us much more terrible.

After these different combats, worn out with fatigue, want of food and of sleep, we endeavoured to take a few moments’ repose, at length daylight came, and disclosed all the horrors of the scene.  A great number had, in their delirium, thrown themselves into the sea:  we found that between sixty and sixty-five men had perished during the night; we calculated that, at least, a fourth part had drowned themselves in despair.  We had lost only two on our side, neither of whom was an officer.  The deepest despondency was painted on every face; every one, now that he was come to himself, was sensible of his situation; some of us, shedding tears of despair, bitterly deplored the rigour of our fate.

We soon discovered a new misfortune; the rebels, during the tumult, had thrown into the sea two barrels of wine, and the only two casks of water that we had on the raft.[24] As soon as Mr. Correard perceived that they were going to throw the wine into the sea, and that the barrels were almost entirely made loose, he resolved to place himself on one of them; where he was continually thrown to and fro by the impulse of the waves; but he did not let go his hold.  His example was followed by some others, who seized the second cask, and remained some hours at that dangerous post.  After much trouble they had succeeded in saving these two casks; which being every moment violently driven against their legs had bruised them severely.  Being unable to hold out any longer, they made some representations to those who, with Mr. Savigny, employed all their efforts to maintain order and preserve the raft.  One of them took his (Mr. Correard) place; others relieved the rest:  but finding this service too difficult, and being assaulted by the mutineers, they forsook this post.  Then the barrels were thrown into the sea.

Two casks of wine had been consumed the preceding day; we had only one left, and we were above sixty in number; so that it was necessary to put ourselves on half allowance.

At daybreak the sea grew calm, which enabled us to put up our mast again; we then did our utmost to direct our course towards the coast.  Whether it were an illusion or reality we thought we saw it, and that we distinguished the burning air of the Zaara Desert.  It is, in fact, very probable that we were not very distant from it, for we had had winds from the sea which had blown violently.  In the sequel we spread the sail indifferently to every wind that blew, so that one day we approached the coast, on the next ran into the open sea.