AFRICA, 173 
main there during the night. Its approach 
began to fill me with great terror; as it oppofed 
and retarded the only refource I had devifed 
to fave myfelf from the fatal pit, without the 
affiftance of others. This refource was to dig 
away the earth on one fide with my fabre and 
my hands, in order to form a kind of fteps; 
but as fuch an operation might be Very tedious, 
I formed, though under the moft difmal ppr- 
plexity, the wifer refolution of loading my 
fufee, and of firing fhot after fhot in hopes 
that I might be heard at my camp. I from, 
time to time liftened with the utmoft anxiety, 
and a palpitating heart ; and at length had the 
fatisfa£lion of hearing two reports, which in- 
fpired me with the utmoft joy. I then con- 
tinued to fire by intervals, to direft thofe who 1 
had anfwered me which way to purfue their 
courfe ; and foon after I faw them arrive, all 
completely armed, but full of trouble and un- 
eafinefs. They had imagined that I v^as purfued 
by fome ferocious animal; but they faw me, on 
the contrary, in the moft pitiful fituation, and 
caught fooliflily like a fox. Their alarm, how-* 
ever, was foon diffipated ; they immediately cut 
a long pole j which thevlet down to me; and by 
means 
