COUNTESS DE BOURK. 89 
of November, without accident, upon the coast of Barbary, 
into a gulf called Colo, to the eastward of Gigeri. There 
they came to an anchor, and the commander being unacquain- 
ted with that part of the coast, ordered two Moors to swim to 
sliore to inquire of the inhabitants where he was. 
The Moors in the vicinity perceiving the tartan, repaired 
armed, and in great numbers, to the shore, to oppose any land- 
ing ; they conjectured that it was a Christian vessel, come for 
the purpose of carrying off their cattle; but they were unde- 
ceived by the Moors belonging to the corsair, who informed 
them that it was a prize taken from the Christians, and had 
on board an illustrious French princess, whom they were car- 
rying to Algiers. One of the Moors remained on shore, the 
other swam back to inform the captain what coast it was oft 
which he had anchored, and its distance from Algiers ; tell- 
ing him at the same time that they must have been driven 
past that city by the violence of the wind which had prevail- 
ed for several days. Upon this intelligence the commander, 
impatient to depart and join the corsair, did not give himselt 
time to weigh anchor, but cutting the cable, set sail, without 
anchor, boat, or compass. 
He was not half a league from the gulf when he paid dear- 
ly for his imprudence ; a contrary wind arose, which, in spite 
of his exertions, drove him back to the shore ; he attempted 
to use his oars, but, Avith the few hands he had on board, they 
were perfectly useless. The tartan struck upon a rock and 
went to pieces. The whole of the stern was instantly under 
water, and Madame de Bourk, who was at prayers in the cabin 
with her son and female domestics, had nearly perished with 
them. Those who were at the head of the ship, among whom 
were the Abbe de Bourk, Mr. Arture, an Irishman, the stew- 
ard, one of the maids, and the footman, clung to that part of 
the wreck which remained on the rock. 
Mr. Arture perceiving something in the water struggling 
with the waves, ventured down, and found that it was Made- 
moiselle de Bourk, whom he rescued from her perilous situa- 
tion, and delivered her into the hands of the steward, recom- 
mending her to his care, adding, that for his part he would be- 
take himself to the sea, as he was the only person who could 
swim. Fortunate would it have been for him if he had not 
trusted to his dexterity ; for from that moment he was never 
seen more. The Abbe first descended from the rock on 
which the tartan struck ; he there supported himself some 
lime, against the violence of the waves, by means of his knife, 
8* 
