26 TRAVELS IIsT 
the cabin (for, bearing no commiflion in thd 
lliip, I had neither to give nor receive orders), 
I obferved the keeper of the Company's papers 
faithfully feated near the inyfterious box, and 
ready to heave it cut at the window on the 
flighteft appearance of danger. This man at 
lead was at his ftation, but terror had fixed him 
there much more than duty. The former had 
got entire poffeffion of his fenfes : " Vaillant," 
cried he, " Vaillant, it is all over ! Alas, my 
*^ friend, we are ruined, we are undone!" I 
did every thing in my power to raife his fpi- 
rits, and to induce him to change his air, that 
lie might affume another countenance. In the 
mean time a bullet came whizzing through 
the cabin, with a horrid noife ; and the poor 
man fell down motionlefs, like an unwieldy 
mafs. Ignorant of the caufe, I imagined he 
was dead ; but by little and little he raifed him- 
felf up, fetching feveral heavy fighs from the 
bottom of his breaft., At this part of the fcene, 
which vv^as truly alFeding, I could no longer 
keep my gravity, and I retired to give free 
vent to loud burfts of laughter. 
Was it not fliameful that men, formed by 
tlieir condition, their age, and their experience. 
