1 00:00:01,320 --> 00:00:04,240 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. Hello, and welcome to the podcast. I'm Holly 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: Frye and I'm Tracy V. Wilson. In our recent episode 4 00:00:18,840 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: on augustin Frenel, we mentioned that a tragic shipwreck led 5 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:27,520 Speaker 1: France and eventually the world, to want to improve lighthouse technology. 6 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,360 Speaker 1: And I knew immediately as I was working on that 7 00:00:30,400 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 1: episode that I wanted to talk about this shipwreck because 8 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,519 Speaker 1: it was the demise of the French frigate La Medus 9 00:00:35,800 --> 00:00:39,199 Speaker 1: or in English Medusa. This was actually covered in an 10 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:42,360 Speaker 1: episode by prior hosts Sarah and Doblina in twenty eleven, 11 00:00:42,520 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 1: in their episode five Shipwreck Stories. We actually ran that 12 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,320 Speaker 1: as a Saturday Classic on July twentieth, twenty twenty two. 13 00:00:50,640 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 1: But there is so much about the Medusa that just 14 00:00:54,240 --> 00:00:59,120 Speaker 1: cannot make it into a five minute segment. So much 15 00:00:59,600 --> 00:01:03,680 Speaker 1: and this the story is also very closely intertwined with art, 16 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: which they do also touch on, although I think they 17 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,760 Speaker 1: maybe did not look into the creation of that art 18 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:11,479 Speaker 1: because they're like to end it on a happy note 19 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,720 Speaker 1: and they talk about the art, but like as you'll 20 00:01:13,760 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 1: discover in Part two, creating it was its own wild story. 21 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:21,080 Speaker 1: The Raft of Medusa by Teo Doorgerico is a depiction 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:24,200 Speaker 1: of a life raft from this wreck, a drift at 23 00:01:24,280 --> 00:01:29,039 Speaker 1: sea right before it's rescued, and Jericho's obsession with the 24 00:01:29,080 --> 00:01:32,200 Speaker 1: story of the Medusa and with creating a record of 25 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:35,000 Speaker 1: what happened on the raft is a story in and 26 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:37,760 Speaker 1: of itself. So this is a two parter, And in 27 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 1: this first episode we're going to talk about the mission 28 00:01:40,120 --> 00:01:43,680 Speaker 1: to Senegal that the Medusa led and how things fell 29 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:48,720 Speaker 1: disastrously and horrifyingly apart. And then in the second episode 30 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: we will talk about the aftermath of the shipwreck, and 31 00:01:51,840 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 1: we'll talk about Teo Door Jericho's life, including his obsession 32 00:01:55,480 --> 00:01:58,920 Speaker 1: with the disaster. So heads up, some of this is 33 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:03,840 Speaker 1: incredibly gnarly. There are some truly tragic events that played out, 34 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:08,679 Speaker 1: and instances of starving people resorting to cannibalism and other 35 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: very unsavory means to survive. Some of the accounts that 36 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: we will read from survivors are very very graphic and harrowing, 37 00:02:21,200 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 1: but they're an important part of the record. So just 38 00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:27,160 Speaker 1: know if that's something that you can't maybe handle, we 39 00:02:27,280 --> 00:02:31,880 Speaker 1: have hundreds of episodes for you to enjoy. But I 40 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:39,040 Speaker 1: do think this is an important story about governance, about leadership, 41 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,880 Speaker 1: and about you know, how important it is to think 42 00:02:43,960 --> 00:02:48,560 Speaker 1: carefully about missions that you develop and goals that you 43 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:51,200 Speaker 1: have and who should be in charge of them. When 44 00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: you're going to put a bunch of people on a 45 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,959 Speaker 1: vessel and that vessel will be unable to get assistants, 46 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: it's very important to go above and beyond with safety, yes, 47 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:10,000 Speaker 1: and not cut corners. Yes, it's a parable for today, 48 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:15,840 Speaker 1: It really really is, as you'll hear. Yeah. In the 49 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: months after Napoleon Bonaparte's first abdication in April of eighteen fourteen, France, 50 00:03:21,639 --> 00:03:27,840 Speaker 1: the UK, Russia, Prussia, Austria, Portugal, Sweden, and Spain entered 51 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: into a peace agreement known as the Treaty of Paris. 52 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: There are lots of Treaties of Paris. Sometimes this one 53 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:39,280 Speaker 1: is specified as the first Treaty of Paris. This treaty 54 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,560 Speaker 1: built on previous accords and ended the fighting among these nations, 55 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,240 Speaker 1: but it also established new boundaries for France. It acknowledged 56 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 1: the Bourbon monarchy in France, made rules about the slave 57 00:03:51,800 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 1: trade in France, and it also portioned out colonies in 58 00:03:55,920 --> 00:04:01,120 Speaker 1: foreign territories. France had an official presence in Senegal since 59 00:04:01,160 --> 00:04:04,480 Speaker 1: the seventeenth century, but it had lost that to Britain 60 00:04:04,560 --> 00:04:09,880 Speaker 1: until this treaty gave the French that colony back. Obviously, 61 00:04:09,920 --> 00:04:12,080 Speaker 1: it goes without saying, but we will say it. This 62 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:16,320 Speaker 1: of course, left the indigenous populations of these colonized places 63 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:21,400 Speaker 1: out of the conversation entirely. The French intended to re 64 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:26,039 Speaker 1: establish their presence in Senegal, although Napoleon's brief returned from 65 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: exile in eighteen fifteen postponed that effort. Once Napoleon had 66 00:04:31,760 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: abdicated for a second time, plans for this expedition continued. 67 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,600 Speaker 1: A frigate known as Lamadou's the Medusa, which was a 68 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: proven naval vessel, was chosen to be the flagship of 69 00:04:43,120 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 1: the mission. The other ships were a corvette called Echo, 70 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: which was captained by Cornette de Venancourt, a brig called 71 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,800 Speaker 1: the Argus under the command of Lieutenant Parnajan, and a 72 00:04:53,839 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 1: supply ship called Loire under the command of Lieutenant Guiquel 73 00:04:57,680 --> 00:05:01,599 Speaker 1: de Touche. The captain one of the Medusa was put 74 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,520 Speaker 1: in command because he was a loyal royalist. That was 75 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 1: Viscount Hugh Dua de Chemery. He had fled to England 76 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:15,160 Speaker 1: during the revolution, barely escaping execution, and he published an 77 00:05:15,200 --> 00:05:20,400 Speaker 1: autobiography that was very popular with Royalist English readers. He 78 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: had not captained a vessel in two decades, but as 79 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:27,159 Speaker 1: a show of gratitude for his support of the Bourbons, 80 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,680 Speaker 1: King Louis the eighteenth made him the captain of what 81 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: was a high profile mission to re establish the Senegal colony. 82 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:39,560 Speaker 1: Chamaree had campaigned for this post, and using his own 83 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:43,320 Speaker 1: autobiography as a source, he gave an overblown account of 84 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:48,120 Speaker 1: his qualifications for it. He was fifty three and he 85 00:05:48,200 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 1: had not been at sea for more than twenty years 86 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,680 Speaker 1: when he received this commission. The men who helmed the 87 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:58,640 Speaker 1: other three ships did not really care for him. No, 88 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:03,000 Speaker 1: everybody that was really experienced and skilled kind of smelled 89 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: a lot of incompetence on him right out of the gate. 90 00:06:07,120 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 1: And while there had been expeditions there to Senegal before, 91 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: this was still considered a very treacherous voyage. The mapping 92 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:19,360 Speaker 1: of the African coast was not comprehensive, and there was 93 00:06:19,400 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 1: a sand bank known as the Aguambank that contained reformations 94 00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 1: that were particularly treacherous. There had been dozens of shipwrecks 95 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:31,400 Speaker 1: along the coast where they were heading in the decades 96 00:06:31,480 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: preceding the missions planned voyage. The people aboard the Medusa 97 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:40,799 Speaker 1: were a mix of soldiers, civilians, and officials. Those selected 98 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: had been chosen to create a full community package that 99 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: could basically land at the French colonial port of Saloui 100 00:06:47,360 --> 00:06:50,720 Speaker 1: and Senegal and be ready to go right off the ship. 101 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:57,599 Speaker 1: There were storekeepers, clerks, scouts, schoolmasters, apothecaries, hospital directors, surgeons, 102 00:06:58,040 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: a gardener, writer, bakers, engineers, a naturalist, an agriculturalist, on 103 00:07:04,960 --> 00:07:09,760 Speaker 1: and on trying to cover all the bases. And the 104 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:12,360 Speaker 1: man who had been tapped as the new governor of Senegal, 105 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,800 Speaker 1: Julian Schmaltz, was on the frigate with his wife and daughter. 106 00:07:16,680 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: In total, according to one crew account, there were three 107 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:22,000 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty five people on this mission, with two 108 00:07:22,080 --> 00:07:25,480 Speaker 1: hundred and forty of them on the Medusa, but official 109 00:07:25,520 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 1: accounts of the people involved put the numbers higher, with 110 00:07:28,760 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: the people aboard the Medusa at close to four hundred. 111 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 1: On June seventeenth, eighteen sixteen, the expedition left port from 112 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:40,720 Speaker 1: Ilde off the western coast of France. There were problems 113 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,800 Speaker 1: immediately the first day. They actually had to hold before 114 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: they even got very far because the wind was bad 115 00:07:47,040 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: enough that the loire was struggling, so all of the 116 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 1: ships cast anchor and weighted. Then a storm came up. 117 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,520 Speaker 1: In the account written by survivors, they state quote, for 118 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: some days we made but very little pre Additionally, a 119 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,120 Speaker 1: lot of the people that were setting out to populate 120 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:08,120 Speaker 1: the new colony had not spent time at sea, and 121 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:10,960 Speaker 1: so all of these ships were kind of full of 122 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 1: people who were very seasick in the early part of 123 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: the journey. Coming up, we'll talk about how badly things 124 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,920 Speaker 1: started to go for the Medusa, but first we will 125 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:33,040 Speaker 1: pause for a sponsor break. There was a tragic incident 126 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: just a few days into the Medusa's journey. According to 127 00:08:36,559 --> 00:08:40,360 Speaker 1: the main survivor account quote, a sailor lad fifteen years 128 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 1: of age, fell into the sea through one of the 129 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 1: four portholes on the larboard side. A great many persons 130 00:08:47,080 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: were at the time on the poop and the breastwork, 131 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: looking at the gambles of the porpoises. The exclamations of 132 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:57,000 Speaker 1: pleasure at beholding the sports of these animals were succeeded 133 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 1: by cries of pity. For some moments, the unfortunate youth 134 00:09:00,960 --> 00:09:02,960 Speaker 1: held by the end of a rope which he caught 135 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: hold of in his fall, but the rapidity with which 136 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:09,560 Speaker 1: the frigate sailed soon forced him to let go. So 137 00:09:09,640 --> 00:09:13,559 Speaker 1: the Medusa intended to signal the echo about this man overboard. 138 00:09:13,640 --> 00:09:15,800 Speaker 1: The echo was in sight of the ship, but there 139 00:09:15,880 --> 00:09:18,920 Speaker 1: was no loaded gun on the ship. I have read 140 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: some interpretations of loaded gun being like a pistol and 141 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 1: others being like a cannon. I don't know which is accurate. 142 00:09:25,760 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 1: A life boy was thrown out to the boy, and 143 00:09:27,800 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 1: the ship was slowed as much as possible, and at 144 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:33,240 Speaker 1: one point one of the onboard sailors actually got a 145 00:09:33,240 --> 00:09:35,920 Speaker 1: hold of this boy by the arm some accounts say 146 00:09:35,960 --> 00:09:38,640 Speaker 1: by the back of his shirt, but it doesn't matter 147 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:41,160 Speaker 1: because he lost that hold when that sailor that was 148 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,760 Speaker 1: on board was nearly pulled into the water. A small 149 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 1: boat with three men in it was set into the water, 150 00:09:47,559 --> 00:09:49,839 Speaker 1: but they could not spot the boy, and the life 151 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:51,960 Speaker 1: buoy that they had thrown out for him had also 152 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: not been spotted. At that point, this fifteen year old 153 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,600 Speaker 1: was presumed dead, and the frigate continued on its course. 154 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 1: The hire mission was struggling by the time this happened. 155 00:10:03,840 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 1: Though the Echo could almost keep pace with the Medusa, 156 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,000 Speaker 1: the other two ships really could not, and Chamre did 157 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: not seem to have a plan to mitigate this problem. 158 00:10:14,679 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 1: He was focused on the edict that the group had 159 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: to reach San Luis, which was the previously established French 160 00:10:21,440 --> 00:10:26,320 Speaker 1: capital of Senegal, as quickly as possible. As a consequence, 161 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: he let the Medusa outpace the other ships and left 162 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: them with no navigation headings to follow. All of this, 163 00:10:34,480 --> 00:10:36,960 Speaker 1: plus the boy lost at sea, who a lot of 164 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,480 Speaker 1: people thought could have been saved, led to people to 165 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:44,200 Speaker 1: just increasingly not trust him. They already didn't like him. 166 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:47,120 Speaker 1: It was goenna be worse well. The other experienced sailors 167 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 1: did not like him right out of the gate, But 168 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:51,680 Speaker 1: at this point the people that were civilians were like, 169 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:55,440 Speaker 1: I don't know that this guy is maybe the best 170 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,080 Speaker 1: at is. I say that laughingly, but it's really gonna 171 00:10:59,160 --> 00:11:03,160 Speaker 1: hurt people. Aboard the Echo, Guiquel de Touche noticed that 172 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:07,160 Speaker 1: even when the Medusa did signal its intended course, the 173 00:11:07,240 --> 00:11:10,359 Speaker 1: ship often did something different than what had been communicated, 174 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:15,600 Speaker 1: so Detouche just started using observation instead of believing any 175 00:11:15,640 --> 00:11:19,720 Speaker 1: of the signals Chamree was sending. This was made worse 176 00:11:19,800 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 1: when Chamere appointed someone totally unqualified to advise him in navigation. 177 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,719 Speaker 1: That was a man named Antoine Richefort cho More and 178 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 1: Richefort met on the ship as a member of the 179 00:11:32,480 --> 00:11:36,079 Speaker 1: Philanthropic Society. Richefort had managed to get a seat at 180 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,880 Speaker 1: the captain's table for meals, and Richeford, who had some 181 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: naval experience, claimed to the captain that he was an 182 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:48,160 Speaker 1: expert regarding the coast of Africa. And Chamere, who had 183 00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:50,360 Speaker 1: a lot of ill will toward him on the ship 184 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:53,559 Speaker 1: at this point and knew it, found a friend in Richeford, 185 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:57,160 Speaker 1: so he started listening to his assessments of their situation 186 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:00,720 Speaker 1: and acting on them with no vas of the man's 187 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:04,440 Speaker 1: actual qualifications, and this is likely what eventually put the 188 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,760 Speaker 1: Medusa sixty nautical miles away from where they actually thought 189 00:12:08,840 --> 00:12:13,079 Speaker 1: they were. The depth of the misguided trust the captain 190 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:16,440 Speaker 1: gave and the blame that many believe he deserved for 191 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:18,839 Speaker 1: what happened, is described in an account from one of 192 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: the passengers, Charlotte Picicard. This way quote. A certain passenger, 193 00:12:24,000 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 1: member of the self instituted philanthropic Society of Cape Baird, 194 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:31,800 Speaker 1: suggested that it was very dangerous to remain where we were, 195 00:12:32,400 --> 00:12:35,880 Speaker 1: adding that he was well acquainted with the country and 196 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: had navigated in all these latitudes. Monsieur Lais Chamer, captain 197 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:45,079 Speaker 1: of the Medusa, believing the pretended knowledge of the intriguing 198 00:12:45,160 --> 00:12:49,400 Speaker 1: richefort gave him the command of the frigate. Various officers 199 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: of the navy represented to the captain how shameful it 200 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 1: was to put such confidence in a stranger, and that 201 00:12:56,000 --> 00:12:58,679 Speaker 1: they would never obey a man who had no character 202 00:12:58,800 --> 00:13:04,080 Speaker 1: as a commander. The captain despised these wise remonstrances, and 203 00:13:04,240 --> 00:13:07,079 Speaker 1: using his authority, commanded the pilots and all the crew 204 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: to obey rech for saying he was king. Since the 205 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:15,080 Speaker 1: orders of the king were they should obey him immediately. 206 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 1: The impostor, desirous of displaying his great skill in navigation, 207 00:13:19,280 --> 00:13:22,320 Speaker 1: made them change the root for no purpose but that 208 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:27,200 Speaker 1: of showing his skill in maneuvering a ship. Every instant 209 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,199 Speaker 1: he changed the tack, went, came and returned, and approached 210 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:34,880 Speaker 1: the very reefs, as if to brave them. In short, 211 00:13:34,920 --> 00:13:37,600 Speaker 1: he beat about so much that the sailors at length 212 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:41,320 Speaker 1: refused to obey him, saying boldly that he was a 213 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:46,280 Speaker 1: vile impostor. But it was done. The man had gained 214 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:50,920 Speaker 1: the confidence of Captain Chamer, who, ignorant of navigation himself, 215 00:13:51,000 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: was doubtless glad to get someone to undertake his duty. 216 00:13:54,840 --> 00:13:57,160 Speaker 1: But it must be told, and told to in the 217 00:13:57,160 --> 00:13:59,920 Speaker 1: face of all of Europe, that this blind and inept 218 00:14:00,120 --> 00:14:03,080 Speaker 1: confidence was the sole cause of the loss of the 219 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:07,199 Speaker 1: Medusa frigate, as well as all of the crimes consequent 220 00:14:07,360 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: upon it. So the survivor's account from people aboard the 221 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,200 Speaker 1: Medusa described the ship's proximity to the reef at arguais 222 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,400 Speaker 1: this way. Quote. During a part of the night, the echo, 223 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 1: with which we had constantly kept company since we left Madeira, 224 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,360 Speaker 1: burnt several charges of powder and hung a lanthorn at 225 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,480 Speaker 1: the mizzen mast. Her signals were not answered in the 226 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: same manner. Only a lanthorn was hung for a few 227 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,800 Speaker 1: moments to the foremast. It went out soon after and 228 00:14:35,920 --> 00:14:40,200 Speaker 1: was not replaced by another light. Monsieur Saviagner was on deck, 229 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,680 Speaker 1: where he remained a part of the night. He had 230 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:46,080 Speaker 1: full opportunity to perceive the negligence of the officer of 231 00:14:46,120 --> 00:14:48,560 Speaker 1: the watch, who did not even deign to answer the 232 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 1: signals made by the echo. Why in the neighborhood of 233 00:14:52,400 --> 00:14:55,120 Speaker 1: so formidable a danger not compare the points of the 234 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 1: two ships, as is usual when vessels sail and company. 235 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: The captain of the frigate was not even informed of 236 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:06,000 Speaker 1: the signals of the corvette. At eleven o'clock she bore 237 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,200 Speaker 1: off the larboard bow, and soon after he perceived that 238 00:15:09,240 --> 00:15:11,800 Speaker 1: the direction of her course made a pretty large angle 239 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,000 Speaker 1: with ours, and that it tended to cross us. Passing ahead, 240 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: he soon perceived her on the starboard. It is affirmed 241 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: that her journal states that she sailed the whole night 242 00:15:21,000 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: west southwest ours does the same. We must necessarily have 243 00:15:25,280 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: hauled to the larboard or she to the starboard, since 244 00:15:28,120 --> 00:15:32,480 Speaker 1: at daybreak the corvette was no longer in sight. According 245 00:15:32,520 --> 00:15:35,520 Speaker 1: to the survivor's account, it wasn't as though the Medusa 246 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 1: was just chugging along and slammed into the reef, not 247 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:42,360 Speaker 1: knowing it was there. An ensign of the watch named 248 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: la Perier had determined in the night that the ship 249 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,800 Speaker 1: was in shallow waters near the reef. Another watchman, an 250 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:55,400 Speaker 1: experienced sailor named Monsieur Madet, confirmed Laparier's assessment and communicated 251 00:15:55,480 --> 00:15:58,200 Speaker 1: up the chain of command that the ship was quote 252 00:15:58,440 --> 00:16:01,800 Speaker 1: on the edge of the reef, but his concerns were 253 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,560 Speaker 1: dismissed by the captain, who, deciding these assessments were false 254 00:16:05,600 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: based on nothing but vibes and the words of Richefort, 255 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:12,400 Speaker 1: stated that the ship was in eighty fathoms that's four 256 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:16,040 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty feet of water. In the writing of 257 00:16:16,120 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: geographical engineer Alexander Coriar and Heri Savni, one of the 258 00:16:20,840 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: surgeons of the group, they explicitly state quote, we have 259 00:16:24,520 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: mentioned the names of monsieurs La Prere and Mode because 260 00:16:27,960 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 1: if they had been attended to, the Medusa would still 261 00:16:30,880 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: be in existence. Yeah. Normally, at a point when your 262 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,160 Speaker 1: people inform you you are very close to a reef, 263 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 1: you would take a depth sound, right, And the captain 264 00:16:43,480 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: didn't want to. He just completely wanted to pretend that 265 00:16:49,360 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: reality was not and what he said would magically be true. 266 00:16:54,080 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: At midday on July second, eighteen sixteen, the Medusa ran 267 00:16:58,520 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: up onto the reef at Arguin and stopped moving. After 268 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: the initial panic in the power vacuum left by the 269 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,920 Speaker 1: obvious ineptitude of Chamree. Different sailors came up with different 270 00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:13,360 Speaker 1: plans for what to do next. There was a flurry 271 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:16,760 Speaker 1: of things that did have to happen. Soundings were taken 272 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,840 Speaker 1: of the surrounding waters, since some areas that were quite 273 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: close to the reef were actually fairly deep and might 274 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: offer a spot that the ship could move into safely. 275 00:17:26,440 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: The kedge anchor, which is an anchor designed to pull 276 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:31,960 Speaker 1: the ship back into water in just such a circumstance, 277 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: was deployed, but it failed. The ship's weight was rebalanced 278 00:17:37,040 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 1: to prevent tipping. Governor Schmall stepped into the leadership position 279 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:44,560 Speaker 1: as no one trusted rechore Or Chamree, and the crew 280 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:47,840 Speaker 1: tried for two full days to get the Medusa floating again, 281 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,080 Speaker 1: and there were even some moments where it seemed like 282 00:17:50,119 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: their efforts were working. But then the need to evacuate 283 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 1: the ship was discussed with the crew. Schmalls realized there 284 00:17:58,520 --> 00:18:02,200 Speaker 1: were not enough life boats for everyone and designed a 285 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,040 Speaker 1: raft to take the people who couldn't fit in the boats. 286 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: This raft required the boom, the masts, and the yards 287 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,679 Speaker 1: from the ship for its construction, as well as various 288 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 1: planks with the pieces salvaged from the Medusa. The raft 289 00:18:17,440 --> 00:18:22,359 Speaker 1: had prow stability planking and a platform. It was sixty 290 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,200 Speaker 1: five feet by twenty two feet and the intent was 291 00:18:25,320 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: that it would be towed by the lifeboats and then 292 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:33,120 Speaker 1: once the entire party reached the shore, they would continue 293 00:18:33,200 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 1: on foot to the French capital in Senegal. Up to 294 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:40,920 Speaker 1: this point, the Medusa was stuck, but she was intact. 295 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:44,080 Speaker 1: But then on the night of July fourth, wind and 296 00:18:44,200 --> 00:18:47,280 Speaker 1: sharp waves caused the frigate to crack and they thought 297 00:18:47,280 --> 00:18:50,320 Speaker 1: it was going to collapse. There were concerns that people 298 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 1: would be crushed by falling masts if they stayed on 299 00:18:53,359 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 1: the boat, and the order was given to evacuate in 300 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:59,760 Speaker 1: the early hours of the morning. An organizational list had 301 00:18:59,800 --> 00:19:02,880 Speaker 1: all already been drafted that assigned people to the boats 302 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: and the raft. Unsurprisingly, the highest ranking people were put 303 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:11,080 Speaker 1: in the safest spots, while lowest ranking people were put 304 00:19:11,119 --> 00:19:16,840 Speaker 1: on the raft. Incidentally, Charlotte Picard's family was initially put 305 00:19:16,880 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 1: on the raft, and they were kind of, you know, 306 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 1: high ranking in general, and they made a fuss and 307 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:26,800 Speaker 1: ended up on the longboat. But anyone who had had 308 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 1: conflict with Captain Chamer was also relegated to the raft. 309 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,080 Speaker 1: One officer reportedly stayed behind by threatening to shoot anyone 310 00:19:36,320 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: who tried to force him onto the raft and stating 311 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:42,120 Speaker 1: that he would rather choose how he died. Several other 312 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: members of the crew stayed behind as well, some just 313 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,879 Speaker 1: feeling that it was their duty to stay with the ship, 314 00:19:47,280 --> 00:19:50,720 Speaker 1: and others not really being willing to risk the lifeboats 315 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:55,080 Speaker 1: of the raft. It was clear at every step that 316 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,840 Speaker 1: the raft, which was perilously overloaded, was going to be 317 00:19:58,880 --> 00:20:02,280 Speaker 1: in trouble. The officer who promised to take charge of 318 00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:06,240 Speaker 1: the raft instead got into one of the lifeboats. Chamaer 319 00:20:06,560 --> 00:20:09,280 Speaker 1: did not go down with the ship, as would normally 320 00:20:09,320 --> 00:20:11,680 Speaker 1: be traditioned for the man in charge. He jumped into 321 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:14,520 Speaker 1: one of the lifeboats and left members of his crew behind. 322 00:20:15,640 --> 00:20:19,880 Speaker 1: We'll talk about the perilous and awful journey of the evacuees, 323 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 1: but before we get into that admittedly awful material, we 324 00:20:23,119 --> 00:20:25,080 Speaker 1: are going to hear from the sponsors that keep stuff 325 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:37,639 Speaker 1: you missed in history class going. Once this little towing 326 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:41,280 Speaker 1: flotilla set out, it became immediately apparent that pulling the 327 00:20:41,400 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: raft was causing a lot of challenges, steering became close 328 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,720 Speaker 1: to impossible, and everyone was slowed down. And then because 329 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,399 Speaker 1: the raft was also built the way it was, it 330 00:20:52,440 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: was causing them to actually be pulled away from the 331 00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: shore rather than to it. And the longboat that was 332 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:01,960 Speaker 1: part of the flotilla actually went back to get more 333 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,480 Speaker 1: people from the Medusa, and also tried to redistribute some 334 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: of the people among the lifeboats so that none of 335 00:21:07,920 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: them was unequally overburdened. That longboat was refused. Everyone was like, 336 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:16,160 Speaker 1: you pick those people up, they're yours. Then an even 337 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: more harrowing act, the order was issued to abandon the raft. 338 00:21:21,280 --> 00:21:26,000 Speaker 1: According to Charlotte Picard's account, quote, Monsieur le Peire instantly 339 00:21:26,119 --> 00:21:28,800 Speaker 1: let go the rope which attached us to the other boats, 340 00:21:29,080 --> 00:21:32,920 Speaker 1: and tugged off with all his force. At the same instant, 341 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 1: every boat imitated our excurrable example, and, wishing to shun 342 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: the approach of the shallop which sought for assistance, stood 343 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 1: off from the raft, abandoning in the midst of the ocean, 344 00:21:44,400 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: and to the fury of the waves. The miserable mortals 345 00:21:47,359 --> 00:21:49,919 Speaker 1: whom they had sworn to land on the shores of 346 00:21:49,960 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 1: the desert scarcely had those cowards broken their oath. When 347 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:59,119 Speaker 1: we saw the French flag flying upon the raft. The 348 00:21:59,160 --> 00:22:02,040 Speaker 1: governors and the Camptaptain's boats had cut the ropes that 349 00:22:02,160 --> 00:22:05,600 Speaker 1: tethered them to this raft. Though the boats had their 350 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:09,480 Speaker 1: own problems in fighting and suspicion, they did eventually make 351 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 1: it too shore on the coast of Mauritania, and they 352 00:22:12,560 --> 00:22:16,600 Speaker 1: began the trek south to Senegal. The initial group from 353 00:22:16,640 --> 00:22:18,520 Speaker 1: the longboat that was the boat that went back to 354 00:22:18,560 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: get extra people that made land numbered eighty six, and 355 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,280 Speaker 1: that number began to dwindle immediately. One of the longboat's 356 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:29,720 Speaker 1: survivors was so badly injured that he could not travel 357 00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,919 Speaker 1: on land, and they left him on the beach. Charlotte 358 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:36,560 Speaker 1: Picard described the relief of the initial landing then being 359 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 1: supplanted by fear this way, quote, doubtless the joy we 360 00:22:40,680 --> 00:22:44,080 Speaker 1: experienced at having escaped as by a miracle. The fury 361 00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 1: of the floods was very great, But how much was 362 00:22:47,040 --> 00:22:51,600 Speaker 1: it lessened by the feelings of our horrible situation without water, 363 00:22:51,800 --> 00:22:55,200 Speaker 1: without provisions, and the majority of us nearly naked. Was 364 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: it to be wondered at that we should be seized 365 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: with terror on thinking of the obstacles which we had 366 00:22:59,800 --> 00:23:03,399 Speaker 1: to say surmount, the fatigues, the privations, the pains and 367 00:23:03,440 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: the sufferings we had to endure with the dangers we 368 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: had to encounter on the immense and frightful desert we 369 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 1: had to traverse before we could arrive at our destination. 370 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,240 Speaker 1: The longboat survivors had drunk their tiny portion of water 371 00:23:17,560 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 1: and had some seawater soaked biscuits while still at sea, 372 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 1: and embarked with nothing. They dug into the ground wherever 373 00:23:25,200 --> 00:23:27,879 Speaker 1: they found plants to try to get to whatever water 374 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: they could, and apparently that water was rank. They started 375 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: to become delirious. The French group had been very frightened 376 00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:39,439 Speaker 1: of the Mauritanians based on a lot of racist and 377 00:23:39,560 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: xenophobic misinformation that was common in Europe. They ended up 378 00:23:44,160 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 1: trading with some of them to get some much needed 379 00:23:46,880 --> 00:23:51,000 Speaker 1: supplies and having others offer help as guides. When a 380 00:23:51,040 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 1: small band did launch an attack on the Medusa survivors, 381 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:58,400 Speaker 1: it was stopped when one of the men recognized Charlotte 382 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: Picard's father, cart had hired the man on a previous 383 00:24:02,359 --> 00:24:07,000 Speaker 1: visit to Senegal. After five days of walking along the shore, 384 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: they were intercepted by boats sent by the English Governor 385 00:24:10,560 --> 00:24:14,639 Speaker 1: of Senegal and then brought to Saint Luis. Other lifeboat 386 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: survivors in a small sailboat faced similarly grueling challenges, although 387 00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,359 Speaker 1: they had started with a group half the size of 388 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:25,919 Speaker 1: that in the longboat. But this smaller group, led by 389 00:24:25,920 --> 00:24:30,440 Speaker 1: Lieutenant Espieaux, were captured by a group of Mauritanians. They 390 00:24:30,520 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 1: were eventually rescued as well by a contingent from the 391 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: English settlement. As for the boats carrying Governor Schmaltz and 392 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:42,480 Speaker 1: Captain Chamae, they stayed together. After cutting the raft loose, 393 00:24:43,080 --> 00:24:45,239 Speaker 1: they were quickly picked up by the echo and they 394 00:24:45,240 --> 00:24:49,679 Speaker 1: had a relatively easy ride to San Luis. The people 395 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,960 Speaker 1: on the raft had a much different experience. They had 396 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:56,960 Speaker 1: very little to keep them going. Food supplies were lean. 397 00:24:57,480 --> 00:24:59,960 Speaker 1: They had wine, but they didn't have much fresh warm 398 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: and they couldn't steer or navigate at all. Because of 399 00:25:04,240 --> 00:25:07,119 Speaker 1: the crowded conditions, some people clung to the raft on 400 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,600 Speaker 1: the sides with their lower halves in the water. There 401 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:14,439 Speaker 1: were initially one hundred and forty seven people on this raft, 402 00:25:14,560 --> 00:25:18,800 Speaker 1: all men except for one woman. Savignye and Coriad were 403 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:20,800 Speaker 1: near the center, which is one of the reasons they 404 00:25:20,840 --> 00:25:24,679 Speaker 1: survived to write a detailed account. Over the course of 405 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,119 Speaker 1: thirteen days, the situation on the raft devolved into a 406 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:32,720 Speaker 1: scenario that really can only be described as hellish. Seveny 407 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:35,720 Speaker 1: took on a leadership role to some degree along with 408 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:40,639 Speaker 1: other experienced sailors of the Medusa's crew, instructing on the 409 00:25:40,680 --> 00:25:44,239 Speaker 1: construction of a sail and mast for the raft. They 410 00:25:44,359 --> 00:25:46,640 Speaker 1: hung their signal gun at the top to keep its 411 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:50,240 Speaker 1: powder from getting wet. He soaked the small number of 412 00:25:50,280 --> 00:25:53,960 Speaker 1: biscuits they had in wine to distribute among the dozens 413 00:25:54,000 --> 00:25:57,760 Speaker 1: of people. As a surgeon, he knew that water was 414 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:02,720 Speaker 1: going to be a bigger issue. Additionally, people started dying 415 00:26:02,880 --> 00:26:07,600 Speaker 1: almost immediately. The raft had been constructed by lashing pieces 416 00:26:07,640 --> 00:26:10,440 Speaker 1: of the ship together, but these weren't things that were 417 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:12,959 Speaker 1: meant to be fitted together, and there were gaps, and 418 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:16,240 Speaker 1: in the thrashing waves, people got their legs and arms 419 00:26:16,240 --> 00:26:19,399 Speaker 1: and other body parts injured. When they got caught between 420 00:26:19,400 --> 00:26:21,760 Speaker 1: those things at the gaps, they would fall into the 421 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,240 Speaker 1: cracks between those lashed pieces, and a lot of people 422 00:26:25,320 --> 00:26:27,600 Speaker 1: died from these injuries. Some of them were just flat 423 00:26:27,600 --> 00:26:31,440 Speaker 1: out crushed to death. After a day. Some men actually 424 00:26:31,560 --> 00:26:34,600 Speaker 1: chose to die by suicide by simply jumping into the sea, 425 00:26:35,200 --> 00:26:37,640 Speaker 1: then try to wait out any kind of horrible end 426 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: they thought might come. As people went mad, which they did, 427 00:26:42,000 --> 00:26:44,560 Speaker 1: some of them tried to sabotage the boat and take 428 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:48,320 Speaker 1: it apart to end the whole ordeal. Others attacked the 429 00:26:48,400 --> 00:26:54,760 Speaker 1: various officers on board. Dangerous delirium was handled brutally. People 430 00:26:54,840 --> 00:26:59,399 Speaker 1: who were behaving dangerously were killed and thrown overboard. A 431 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,840 Speaker 1: mute began as fear drove people into the most brutal 432 00:27:03,920 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: form of survival mood. The one woman on board who 433 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:11,159 Speaker 1: was with her husband was thrown over with him, but 434 00:27:11,320 --> 00:27:14,560 Speaker 1: was pulled back on by Corier and the other sailors. 435 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 1: Corier described the scene quote, they attacked us, We charged 436 00:27:19,560 --> 00:27:22,000 Speaker 1: them in our turn, and soon the raft was covered 437 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,880 Speaker 1: with their dead bodies. Those among our adversaries who had 438 00:27:25,920 --> 00:27:29,760 Speaker 1: no arms attempted to tear us with their teeth. Several 439 00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:34,560 Speaker 1: of us were cruelly. Monsieur Seviny was himself bitten in 440 00:27:34,640 --> 00:27:38,400 Speaker 1: the legs and the shoulder. He received also a wound 441 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:41,360 Speaker 1: with a knife in his right arm, which deprived him 442 00:27:41,400 --> 00:27:43,600 Speaker 1: for a long time of the use of the fourth 443 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 1: and little fingers of that hand. Many others were wounded. 444 00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: Our clothes were pierced in many places by knives and sabers. 445 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 1: One of our workmen was also seized by four of 446 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: the mutineers, who were going to throw him into the sea. 447 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,120 Speaker 1: One of them had seized him by the right leg 448 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:05,680 Speaker 1: and was biting him cruelly in the sinew above the heel. 449 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: The others were beating him severely with their sabers and 450 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:12,560 Speaker 1: the butt end of their carbines. His cries made us 451 00:28:12,600 --> 00:28:17,600 Speaker 1: fly to his aid. The mutiny was intense, and wine 452 00:28:17,600 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: and water supplies were lost in the frame. The seven 453 00:28:21,560 --> 00:28:24,920 Speaker 1: Year and Corrier account states that sixty to sixty five 454 00:28:25,040 --> 00:28:28,440 Speaker 1: men were lost in the course of this conflict, almost 455 00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,920 Speaker 1: all of them from the delirious mutineers. The day after 456 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,920 Speaker 1: the riot of the mutiny ended, when things had calmed 457 00:28:35,920 --> 00:28:39,560 Speaker 1: down and the remaining raft members tried fishing by fashioning 458 00:28:39,680 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 1: hooks out of the metal items that they had on board, 459 00:28:42,360 --> 00:28:45,959 Speaker 1: but they were not successful in this effort, and then 460 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:50,680 Speaker 1: they turned to cannibalism. Seven Ye and Coriard begged their 461 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: readers to understand the circumstances, writing quote, but an extreme 462 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:59,719 Speaker 1: resource was necessary to preserve our wretched existence. We tremble 463 00:28:59,760 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: with horror at being obliged to mention that which we 464 00:29:02,800 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: made use of. We feel our pen drop from our hand, 465 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:10,120 Speaker 1: A deathlike chill pervades all our limbs, our hair stands 466 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 1: erect on our heads. Reader, we beseech you do not 467 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: feel indignation towards men who are already too unfortunate, but 468 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:21,600 Speaker 1: have compassion on them and shed some tears of pity 469 00:29:21,680 --> 00:29:25,600 Speaker 1: on their unhappy fate. They go on to describe the 470 00:29:25,640 --> 00:29:29,400 Speaker 1: way things played out, and this is graphic and difficult, 471 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:33,560 Speaker 1: but it also offers insight into just how awful this 472 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:38,320 Speaker 1: experience was and how much these people struggled. If you're squeamish, though, 473 00:29:38,520 --> 00:29:41,480 Speaker 1: you might want to just jump ahead, maybe ninety seconds 474 00:29:41,520 --> 00:29:46,560 Speaker 1: to two minutes. This is a quote again quote those 475 00:29:46,640 --> 00:29:49,680 Speaker 1: whom death had spared, and the disastrous night which we 476 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 1: have just described, fell upon the dead bodies with which 477 00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: the raft was covered, and cut off pieces which some 478 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: instantly devoured, many did not touch them. Most all the 479 00:30:00,560 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 1: officers were of this number. Seeing that this horrid nourishment 480 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,160 Speaker 1: had given strength to those who had made use of it, 481 00:30:08,160 --> 00:30:11,360 Speaker 1: it was proposed to dry it in order to render 482 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:15,400 Speaker 1: it a little less disgusting, Those who had firmness enough 483 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: to abstain from it took a larger quantity of wine. 484 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:23,200 Speaker 1: We tried to eat sword belts and cartouche boxes. We 485 00:30:23,240 --> 00:30:27,880 Speaker 1: succeeded in swallowing some little morsels. Some eat linen, others 486 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 1: pieces of leather from the hats on which there was 487 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:34,520 Speaker 1: a little grease, or rather dirt. We were obliged to 488 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:39,120 Speaker 1: give up these last means. A sailor attempted to eat excrements, 489 00:30:39,200 --> 00:30:43,800 Speaker 1: but he could not succeed, and their group continued to dwindle. 490 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 1: Each morning, more people were missing from the raft, or 491 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: they were found dead on it. When they were down 492 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: to twenty seven people, the men who had been more 493 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,880 Speaker 1: or less in charge had a meeting to discuss what 494 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:59,120 Speaker 1: meager rations of wine were left. It was the only 495 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: thing there was to and they had calculated that they 496 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:06,040 Speaker 1: had four days worth of supplies left, but that if 497 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:10,320 Speaker 1: they threw people who were clearly dying overboard, those reserves 498 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: would last almost a week longer. The husband and wife 499 00:31:14,240 --> 00:31:16,920 Speaker 1: were among the victims of this grim decision, as were 500 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:21,640 Speaker 1: another ten men, leaving just fifteen men aboard. They also 501 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,600 Speaker 1: threw their weapons into the sea, knowing that it was 502 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:28,600 Speaker 1: entirely likely some or all of them may again experience 503 00:31:28,680 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: delirium and threaten or murder each other. They also started 504 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,760 Speaker 1: drinking urine to try to stay alive, and around this 505 00:31:36,880 --> 00:31:40,480 Speaker 1: time sharks began to circle the raft and never left. 506 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: On the thirteenth day, an infantry captain on the raft 507 00:31:44,880 --> 00:31:48,600 Speaker 1: spotted a ship. They straightened some of the hoops from 508 00:31:48,640 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 1: the casks they had on board and tied handkerchiefs to 509 00:31:51,400 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: them to make flags. They lifted one of the men 510 00:31:54,240 --> 00:31:57,120 Speaker 1: to the mast and he waved the flags from there, 511 00:31:57,160 --> 00:32:00,480 Speaker 1: hoping to get their attention. For a while. They grew 512 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:03,400 Speaker 1: despondent when they lost sight of this ship, but it 513 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:07,120 Speaker 1: reappeared closer to them than before, and they all started 514 00:32:07,160 --> 00:32:09,800 Speaker 1: waving any piece of cloth they could get their hands on. 515 00:32:11,200 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 1: The survivor account of coryar and seven Ye notes quote, 516 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: the manner in which we were saved is truly miraculous. 517 00:32:17,960 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 1: The finger of Heaven is conspicuous in this event, and 518 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:24,840 Speaker 1: it really was just a random stroke of luck that 519 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:28,720 Speaker 1: put them in view of their rescuers. The brig Argus, 520 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 1: which had been part of the four ship group that 521 00:32:31,120 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: started this mission had been sent out to help the 522 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:37,040 Speaker 1: survivors of the lifeboats and to look for the raft, 523 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:40,440 Speaker 1: and the lifeboat survivors were taken care of, but the 524 00:32:40,560 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: captain of the argus believed that the raft just must 525 00:32:43,360 --> 00:32:46,720 Speaker 1: have been lost, and after a brief search, he turned 526 00:32:46,720 --> 00:32:50,400 Speaker 1: back to port at Senegal. The ship had to shift 527 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: its course due to a wind search, and it was 528 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: only because of that change in heading that the raft 529 00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:59,479 Speaker 1: was spotted. When the remaining survivors of the raft were 530 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:01,800 Speaker 1: brought a board the argus, they were told that they 531 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 1: had been assumed dead for a week. The written account continues, quote, 532 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 1: we were received in the most brilliant manner. The governor. 533 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:12,479 Speaker 1: Several officers, both English and French, came to meet us, 534 00:33:12,800 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 1: and one of the officers in this numerous train held 535 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:18,480 Speaker 1: out to us a hand which a fortnight before had 536 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:21,520 Speaker 1: as it were, plunged us in the depth of despair, 537 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:24,600 Speaker 1: by loosening the toe rope, which made our raft fast 538 00:33:24,640 --> 00:33:27,520 Speaker 1: to the boat. But such is the effect produced by 539 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,800 Speaker 1: the sight of wretches who have just been miraculously delivered, 540 00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:33,880 Speaker 1: that there was not a single person, either English or French, 541 00:33:34,160 --> 00:33:37,280 Speaker 1: who did not shed tears of compassion on seeing the 542 00:33:37,320 --> 00:33:41,760 Speaker 1: deplorable condition to which we were reduced. The survivors of 543 00:33:41,800 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 1: the Medusa raft were nursed carefully, with a surgeon monitoring 544 00:33:45,720 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 1: their nutrition and slowly introducing solid food back into their diets. 545 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 1: Just the same five of the surviving fifteen died, and 546 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 1: the days and weeks that followed their rescue, the aftermath 547 00:33:59,760 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: of the Medusa's horrible end, and the painting that was 548 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 1: created to commemorate the experiences on the raft are what 549 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: we're going to talk about in part two. To have 550 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:13,719 Speaker 1: some listener mail I do. This is such a leg 551 00:34:13,760 --> 00:34:16,080 Speaker 1: grisly episode in some ways that I wanted to end 552 00:34:16,120 --> 00:34:19,440 Speaker 1: it on a funny one, and I'm gonna pre thank 553 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:23,920 Speaker 1: our listener, David for providing a great email. Who writes. 554 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: Good day, Holly and Tracy. I'm a longtime listener and 555 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:29,120 Speaker 1: a big fan of your podcast, but have never felt 556 00:34:29,120 --> 00:34:32,520 Speaker 1: compelled to write before today. While listening to your latest 557 00:34:32,520 --> 00:34:35,920 Speaker 1: episode about Jane Cunningham Crowley, you mentioned that she formed 558 00:34:35,920 --> 00:34:39,759 Speaker 1: a women's club called the Cirrosis Club. I burst out 559 00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:43,160 Speaker 1: laughing at my own ignorance. While I lived in Wilmington, 560 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,000 Speaker 1: North Carolina, there was an antique show held every year 561 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:49,640 Speaker 1: in February, put on by the Cape Fear Sarosis Club. 562 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:52,359 Speaker 1: I always found it odd that a club about liver 563 00:34:52,440 --> 00:34:55,360 Speaker 1: disease would hold an antique show. I never looked it up, 564 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:58,200 Speaker 1: and your podcast taught me a great lesson in making 565 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,919 Speaker 1: an assumption even eight years after the fact. Be well 566 00:35:00,960 --> 00:35:04,160 Speaker 1: and thank you for the education. PS. My pet Tex 567 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:08,520 Speaker 1: is my twelve year old rescue bulldog, Anastasia Beaverhausen. She 568 00:35:08,719 --> 00:35:11,120 Speaker 1: was somebody's brood mare and dumped once they were done 569 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:13,640 Speaker 1: with her around five years old. She now lives the 570 00:35:13,719 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 1: easy life with a sofa and unending supply of snacks. 571 00:35:17,480 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 1: Anastasia is so cute. Her expression is next level, and 572 00:35:21,880 --> 00:35:24,080 Speaker 1: I'm so glad she's a spoiled baby. But I love 573 00:35:24,160 --> 00:35:26,400 Speaker 1: this in it. I meant to actually mention it in 574 00:35:26,440 --> 00:35:29,359 Speaker 1: the episode and forgot because I was trying every time 575 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:33,880 Speaker 1: we said sorosis to really accentuate that oh so that 576 00:35:33,920 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: no one thought it was cirrhosis of the right same. 577 00:35:40,040 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: But I'm glad that we help somebody else clear up 578 00:35:42,560 --> 00:35:46,359 Speaker 1: a confusion. Thank you so much, David. That was a 579 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,360 Speaker 1: delight and much needed after our discussion of people suffering 580 00:35:49,440 --> 00:35:52,160 Speaker 1: for two weeks on end. If you would like to 581 00:35:52,160 --> 00:35:55,400 Speaker 1: write to us, whether it's over confusion, over pronunciation that 582 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,560 Speaker 1: makes for hilarity, or anything else, you can do that 583 00:35:58,880 --> 00:36:02,719 Speaker 1: at History podcast to iHeartRadio dot com. You can subscribe 584 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:05,400 Speaker 1: to the show on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you 585 00:36:05,440 --> 00:36:13,239 Speaker 1: listen to your favorite shows. Stuff You Missed in History 586 00:36:13,239 --> 00:36:17,640 Speaker 1: Class is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, 587 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:21,360 Speaker 1: visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen 588 00:36:21,440 --> 00:36:22,400 Speaker 1: to your favorite shows.