10 
VOYAGE TO SENEGAL 
sions. The coast is uncommonîy dangerous for navigators, oîl 
account of the frequent stornis and continually heavy sça; while 
there are numerous currents which set violently in towards land, 
and which prove new Taurida to such vessels as have the mis- 
fortune to fall in their tracks. The natives, who are subjects of 
the emperor of Morocco, are, in every sense of the word, barba- 
rians, with whom it has hitherto, and doubtless always will be 
impossible to trade. They consider wrecked ships as presents 
sent them by heaven; enrich themselves by the plunder they af- 
ford, and reduce tlîe unfortunate mariners to the most disgusting 
slavery. From this state of bondage, indeed they have not the 
least hope of escaping, as they can only regam their liberty by 
means of a serious demand on the part of their country at the 
emperor's court ; in w hich case, the monarch compels his subjects 
to give up the slaves when they can be discovered, but, to w hich 
they do not consent, without receiving a considerable ransom. 
We have several instances of the payment of this ransom, by the 
emperor of Morocco himself, when he has wished to make his 
court to the French government. Sometimes these savages, in 
order to avoid the demands of their emperor, and keep the slaves 
they have seized on, retire to inaccessible parts of the desert, 
where 1 have good reason to know that they amuse themselves 
by subjecting the unfortunate Europeans to the most shocking 
torments and cruel death. But navigators may avoid these dangers 
by sailing to the westward of the Canaries. 
1 shall give an account of a shipw reck, which happened on this 
coast while 1 was at isle St. Louis, w hich will be the best means 
of illustrating the dangers I have mentioned, while it will afford 
some interesting information relative to the desert which borders 
on the Senegal. 
M. de Brisson left France in the month of June, 1785, for 
isle St. Louis, in a vessel called the St. Catharine, Captain Le 
Totc. On the lOtli of July following, they found themselves at 
midnight, between the coast of Africa and the Canary islands, in 
a sort of creek formed by rocks. The captain being alarmed, 
steered the ship towards the shoal; and the vessel being driven 
with great force by the currents, struck three times, and then re- 
mained motionless. During the whole night, it resisted the at- 
tacks of the sea, w hich seemed ready every instant to swallow it 
up; but tow'ards morning the storm abated, and M. de Brisson^ 
With all the crew, got to land. But these unfortunate people 
found themselves on a bairen and unknown country; they as- 
cended the highest rocks, and could perceive nothing but an im- 
mense plain covered with white sand, on which a few plants were 
interspersed, similar to branches of coral; they bore a small seed 
gf the samsi Qolour, resembling in size and shape that of mustard. 
