Chapter 16

M. Dard, whom contrary Winds had detained ten Days in the Port of St. Louis, comes on Shore to see M. Picard--Agony of M. Picard--His last Words--His Death--Despair of his Children--M. Thomas kindly takes charge of Picard's Family--The eldest of the Ladies goes and mourns over the Grave of her Father--Her Resignation--M. Dard disembarks, and adopts the Wrecks of the Picard Family--M. Dard marries Miss Picard, and at last returns to France 159

APPENDIX.

Substance abridged from MM. Corréard and Savigny, of what took place on the Raft during thirteen days before the Sufferers were taken up by the Argus Brig 169

Notes 193

II. NARRATIVE OF THE CAPTIVITY OF M. DE BRISSON IN THE DESERTS OF AFRICA 199

III. VOYAGE OF MAD. GODIN ALONG THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS 307

I.

HISTORY OF THE SUFFERINGS AND MISFORTUNES OF THE PICARD FAMILY, AFTER THE SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA, ON THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA, IN THE YEAR 1816.

FROM THE FRENCH OF MADAME DARD, ONE OF THE SUFFERERS.

BY P. MAXWELL, ESQ.

THIS TRANSLATION OF MADAME DARD'S NARRATIVE OF HER SHIPWRECK AND MISFORTUNES, IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO MISS AGNES MALCOLM, BY HER AFFECTIONATE AND GRATEFUL COUSIN, THE TRANSLATOR.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

The following pages are translated from the "African Cottage," of Mad. Dard.[1] They contain no romance, but a well authenticated story, corroborated by the previous Narrative of MM. Corréard and Savigny. Those gentlemen have detailed their sufferings on the fatal raft, after the disastrous shipwreck of the Medusa frigate; but the account concerning those who escaped, by aid of their boats, to the shores of Sahara, deficient in their recital, is supplied by Madame Dard, who was present at all the scenes she relates. Interwoven with the Narrative, is an interesting account of the Picard Family, whose wrongs cannot fail to excite pity, and to engage those feeling hearts in her favour, to whom the fair authoress has addressed the story of her misfortunes.

[Footnote 1: "La Chaumière Africaine; ou, Histoire d'une Famille Française jetée sur la côté occidentale de l'Afrique, à la suite du naufrage de la Frégate la Meduse. Par Mme. Dard, née Charlotte Adelaide Picard, aînée de cette famille, et l'une des naufragés de la Meduse." Dijon. 1824, 12mo.]

There is not, on the records of misery, an instance of more severe and protracted suffering; and I trust there is not, nor ever will be any, where human nature was more foully outraged and disgraced. There are, nevertheless, some pleasing traits of character in the story, and, I am proud to say, some of the brightest of them belong to our own nation. These present a beautiful relief to the selfishness and brutality which so much abound in the dark picture; and are, to our minds, the green spots of the Desert--the fountain and the fruit-tree--as they were in very truth, to the poor wretches they assisted with such genuine singleness of heart.

To the end of the Narrative I have subjoined an Appendix, translated and abridged from the work of MM. Corréard and Savigny, detailing at greater length the sufferings of those who were exposed upon the Raft. I have also added some Notes, extracted from several Authors, illustrative of various matters mentioned in the course of the Narrative.

It may be satisfactory for some readers to know, that, in 1824, Madame Dard was living with her husband in comfort at Bligny-sous-Beaune, a short distance from Dijon. I have lately seen in a French Catalogue, a Dictionary and Grammar of the Woloff and Bambara languages, by M. J. Dard, Bachelier des Sciences, Ancien Instituteur de l'Ecole du Sénégal, brought out under the auspices of the French Government.

PATRICK MAXWELL. _Edinburgh, July 1827._

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

Those who have read the Account of the Shipwreck of the Medusa, by MM. Savigny and Corréard, are already acquainted with the Picard family.

Attracted to Senegal by a faint prospect of advantage, my father, head of that unfortunate family, could not, in spite of a good constitution and the strength of his spirits, resist that destiny, from the mortal influence of which none of us save three escaped out of a family of nine. On his deathbed, he expressed to me the desire that our misfortunes should not remain unknown. This then became my duty, and a duty sacred to the public. I feel a pleasure in fulfilling it, and consolation in the thought, that no feeling mind will read the story of our misfortunes without being affected; and that those who persecuted us will at least experience some regret.

The recital of the shipwreck of the Medusa was necessary, as much to explain the origin of our misfortunes, as the cause of the connexion between that disastrous event, and the terrible journey in the Desert of Sahara, by which we at last reached Senegal. It will furnish me, also, with an opportunity of adverting to some errors in the work of Messrs Savigny and Corréard.

It only now remains for me to crave the indulgence of the reader for my style. I trust such will not be refused to one who has dared to take the pen, only in compliance with a father's dying request.

SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA.