AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF FRANCIS ARAGO. 1G7 



the sliamefal capitulation of Baylen. There a singular incident 'svas very 

 near compromisiug all: Cabrera, tolerably near to the southern extrem- 

 ity of Majorca, is often visited by fishermen coming from that part of 

 the island. M. Berthemie feared, justly enough, that, the rumor of our 

 escape having spread about, they might dispatch some boats to seize 

 us. He looked upon our going into harbor as inopportune; I main- 

 tained that we must yield to the prudence of the commander. During 

 this discussion, the three seamen whom Damiau had engaged saw thai 

 ]\I. Berthemie, whom I liad endeavored to pass off as my servant, main- 

 tained his opinion against me on a footing of equality. They then 

 addressed themselves in these terms to the commander: 



^' We only consented to take i^art in this expedition upon condition 

 that the Emperor's aid-de-camp, shut up at Belver, should not be of the 

 number of those persons whom we should help off; we only wished to 

 aid the flight of the astronomer. Since it seems to be otherwise, you 

 must leave this officer here, unless you would prefer to throw him into 

 the sea." 



Damian at once informed me of the imperative wishes of his boat's 

 crew, M. Berthemie agreed with me to suffer some abuse, such as 

 could only be tolerated by a servant threatened by his master: all the 

 suspicions disappeared. 



Damian, who feared also for himself the arrival of Majorcan fisher- 

 men, hastened to set sail on the 29th of July, 1808, the first moment 

 that was favorable, and we arrived at Algiers on the 3d of August. 



Our looks were anxiously directed toward the port, to guess what 

 reception might await us. We were reassured by the sight of the tri- 

 colored Hag which was flying on two or three buildings; but we were 

 mistaken, these buildings were Dutch. Immediately upon our entrance, 

 a Spaniard, whom, from his tone of authority, we took for a high func- 

 tionary of the regency, came up to Damian, and asked him, "What do 

 you bring? " "I bring," answered the commander, "four Frenchmen.'' 

 "You will at once take them back again; I prohibit you from disem- 

 barking." As we did not seem inclined to obey his order, our Span- 

 iard, who was the constructing engineer of the ships of the Dey, armed 

 himself with a pole, and commenced battering ns ^^ith blows; but 

 immediately a Genoese seaman, mounted on a neighboring vessel, 

 armed himself with an oar, and struck our assailant both with edge 

 and point. During this animated combat, we managed to land without 

 any opposition. We had conceived a singular idea of the manner in 

 which the police act on the coast of Africa. 



We liursued our way to the French consul's, M. Dubois Thainville ; 

 he was at his country house. Escorted by the janissary of the consul- 

 ate, we went off toward this country house, one of the ancient residences 

 of the Dey, situated not far from the gate of Bab-azoum. The consul 

 and his family received us with great amity, and offered us hospitality. 



Suddenlj^ transported to a new continent, I looked forward anxiously 



