Narrative of a Voyage to Senegal in 1816 | Page 2

_24, 1817.)

PREFACE.

The annals of the marine, record no example of a shipwreck so terrible
as that of the Medusa frigate. Two of the unfortunate crew, who have
miraculously escaped from the catastrophe, impose upon themselves
the painful and delicate task, of describing all the circumstances which
attended it.
It was in the midst of the most cruel sufferings that we took the solemn
resolution, to make known, to the civilized world, all the details of our
unhappy adventure, if heaven permitted us again to see our dear
country. We should believe that we failed in our duty to ourselves, and
to our fellow citizens, if we left buried in oblivion facts which the
public must be desirous to know. All the details of the events at which
we were not present, have been communicated to us by respectable
persons, who have warranted their authenticity. We shall, besides,
advance nothing which cannot be proved.
Here, we hear some voices ask, what right we have to make known to
the government, men who are, perhaps, guilty, but whom their places,
and their rank, entitle to more respect. They are ready to make it a
crime in us, that we have dared to say, that officers of the marine had
abandoned us. But what interest, we ask, in our turn, should cause a
fatal indulgence to be claimed for those, who have failed in their duties;
while the destruction of a hundred and fifty wretches, left to the most
cruel fate, scarcely excited a murmur of disapprobation? Are we still in
those times, when men and things were sacrificed to the caprices of
favour? Are the resources and the dignities of the State, still the
exclusive patrimony of a privileged class? and are there other titles to
places and honours, besides merit and talents?
Let us venture to advance another truth, a truth useful to the Minister
himself. There exists among the officers of the Marine, an intractable
esprit de corps, a pretended point of honour, equally false and arrogant,
which leads them to consider as an insult to the whole navy, the
discovery of one guilty individual. This inadmissible principle, which
is useful only to insignificance, to intrigue, to people the least worthy to
call on the name of honour, has the most ruinous consequences for the
State, and the public service. By this, incapacity and baseness are
always covered with a guilty veil, which they dare to attempt to render
sacred; by this, the favours of government are bestowed at random,
upon persons, who impose upon it the strange obligation of being

perpetually in the dark respecting them. Under the protection of this
obligation of officious silence, hitherto seconded by the slavery of the
press, men without talents survive every revolution, exhibit in every
antichamber their privileged incapacity, and braving public opinion,
even that of their comrades, who are the first victims of a foolish and
arrogant prejudice, which deceives them, shew themselves more eager
to monopolise favours and honours, in proportion as they are less able
to render themselves worthy of them.
We shall believe that we have deserved well of our government, if our
faithful narrative can make it sensible how much its confidence is
abused. Just, besides, and not animated by passion, it is with real
pleasure that we shall make those known, who, by their conduct in our
shipwreck, have acquired a right to general esteem. Others will
doubtless complain of the severity of our accusing language; but honest
men will grant us their approbation. If we hear it said, that our
frankness may have been useful to our country, this success will be, at
once, our justification and our recompence.
We have questioned, concerning the nautical details, several gentlemen
of the navy who were on board; we confess, however, that on
comparing their accounts, we have observed that they did not always
entirely agree; but we have taken those facts which had the most
witnesses in their favour. We shall be sometimes obliged to record
cruel truths; they will, however, be directed only to those, whose
unskilfulness, or pusillanimity have caused these dreadful events. We
venture to affirm, that the numerous observations, which we have
collected, will give to our work all the accuracy rigorously required in
so interesting a narrative.
We must observe to our readers that it has been impossible for us to
avoid the use of naval terms, which will, perhaps, give a great degree of
roughness to our narrative, but we hope that the public who are always
indulgent, will be so on this occasion, to two unfortunate men, who
pretend only to make them acquainted with the truth, and not to give
them a superior work. Besides, as we in a manner, submit these events,
to the judgment of the