MOORISH VILLAGE, 
17 
terrific effect On the miud. If by chance a breath of air arose, 
the traveller hnmediately experienced an extreme iassitiide; his 
lips became chapped, his skin parched, and his whole body co- 
vered with painful carbuncles. The Moors^ who had retired to 
live in these countries in order to avoid certain tributes which 
they did not wish to pay, were afflicted by the atmosphere as 
much as their slaves ; for so inhospitable is the region, that the 
most ferocious animals dare not penetrate it. 
On leaving this |>lain they entered another, w^here the wind had 
raised from space to space the sand into hillocks, and the inter- 
vals of which produced a few odoriferous plants, which the al^ 
most famished camels devoured with avidity. They afterwards 
came to a valley surrounded by mountains, the soil of which w as 
white and saponaceous j and here, for the first time, they found 
some pools of water : it was very brackish, covered with green 
moss, and had a pestilential smell ; but such was their thirst, that 
they drank it with indescribable pleasure. Towards evening they 
had the good fortune to meet with an hospitable horde by whom 
they w ere w^ell received, and who pointed out to them the road 
Avhich led to some other villages w here they could obtain provi- 
sions to last them for the remainder of their journey ► This in- 
formation w as very seasonable, as their guide had lost his way. 
The brother-in-law of the master of M.de Brisson was one of 
the chiefs of the burgh, and took particular care of all the slaves: 
he sent them a meal of ostrich-fiesh and camel's milk. He ap-* 
peared affected at the fate of M. de Brisson, and said to him^ 
with much tenderness, " Unfortunate Christian ! my brother has 
long been my debtor ; if you will attach yourself to me, 1 will 
make arrangements with him to obtain you.'^ This proposition, 
though it affected M. de Brisson, nevertheless made hmi tremble, 
as it indicated a long captivity, while he flattered himself that 
his present state would soon be changed ; he therefore sought for 
his master, and intreated him not to consent to such an arrange- 
ment. " Be easy," said the Moor; you shall not leave me 
except to go to Senegal or Morocco, and that shall soon take 
place.'^ This assurance gave indescribable joy to the captive. 
They rested three days amongst the Moors of the tribe 
called Laroussî/e, and then continued their journey to the spot at 
which resided the families of their conductors. It was not till 
they had travelled sixteen days, and sufi'ered the most dreadful 
fatigue and misery, that they arrived at the place of their desti- 
nation, reduced to skeletons. 
At break of day they discovered a village which apparently oc* 
cupied a fertile spot. Several tents were pitched under large 
shady trees, and innumerable herds were grazing on the hillocks^ 
I>USAND.] C 
