A F R I C A, 77 
had ever experienced, and at the fame time , 
" was ftrongly attraded, and in fpite of my- 
" felf, to a particular fpot of the marCh. Di- 
" reeling my eyes to this fpot, I beheld, with 
" feelings of horror, a ferpent of an enormous 
" fize, whofe look inftantly pierced me. Hav- 
ing, however, not yet loft all power of mo- 
tion, I embraced the opportunity before it : ^ 
*' was too late, and faluted the reptile with the 
" contents of my fufee. The report was a 
** talifman that broke the charm. All at once, 
** as if by a miracle, my convulfion ceafed ; I 
felt myfelf able to fly; and the only incon-, 
" venience of this extraordinary adventure was 
2L cold fweat, which was doubtlefs the efFe£i; 
" of my fear and of the violent agitation my 
fenfcs had undergone." 
Such was the account given me by this of 
jRcer. I do not pretend to vouch for its truth ; but 
the ftory of the moufe, as well as of the flirike, I 
aver to be fad. I will add alfo, that, fince ray 
return to France, having had oecafion to talk 
with Blanchot upon the fubjed:, an officer 
who fucceeded Boufflers in the government of 
Senegal, he afTured me with confidence, that 
both at Goree and In Senegal the opinion was 
7 unl- 
