Between St.Florent and the island the water is broad and the stream slow, but between the island and the other shore the narrow river runs rapidly.

Henri at first contented himself with sending the women and children, together with the sick and aged, into the island, thinking that there they would be at any rate for a time safe from the blues, and that some effort might probably be made from the other shore to convey them across the narrow passage.
Gradually, however, the island became full, and he was obliged to send his boats round to take the people from thence to the main land.
All day the work continued, and when the dark night came on, the boats did not for a moment cease to ply.

Immediately after sunset, the rain began to fall in torrents, and as the anxious wretches did not like to leave the close vicinity of the river, which they had spent the whole day in struggling to attain, thousands of them remained there wet and shivering until the morning.

Mothers during the darkness were parted from their children, and wives from their husbands.

Those who, worn out with fatigue and weakness, were forced to lie down upon the ground, were trodden upon by others, who pressed on, to reach the river.