COUXTESS DE BOURK. 91 
half dead, at the mountain, they were received amidst the 
shouts of the Moors and the cries of the cliildren. These 
barbarians had with tliem a great many dogs, which are un- 
commonly numerous in that country ; the animals being excit- 
ed by the tumult, joined their barkings to the general discord. 
One of them tore the footman's leg, and another took a piece 
out of the thigh of the maid servant. 
These unfortunate people were then separated ; the female 
domestic and the footman were delivered to a Moor of the vil- 
lage, and Providence permitted Mademoiselle de Bourk to re- 
main under one and the same master with the Abbe and the 
steward. He first gave each of them a miserable cloak full 
of vermin ; their only food, after such fatigues, consisted of a 
morsel of rye bread, prepared without leaven, and baked un- 
derneath the ashes, with a little water ; and their bed was the 
bare ground. The steward seeing his young mistress quite 
chilled by her clothes that were soaked in the water, with dif- 
ficulty procured a fire to be made, before which he wrung 
them out and dressed her again before they were half dry, 
being unable to remain naked any longer. In this manner 
she passed the first night, terrified and comfortless. 
The place in which they Avere, contained about fifty in- 
habitants, all of whom resided in five or six huts, constructed 
with branches of trees and reeds. Here they lived together 
pell-mell, men, women, children, and beasts of every descrip- 
tion. The barbarians assembled in the hut where the three 
captives Avere, to deliberate upon their fate. Some, conforma- 
bly with a principle of their religion, advised that they should 
be put to death, conceiving that the sacrifice of I'aese Chris- 
tians would ensure them the joj^s of Mahomet's paradise. 
Others, from a principle of interest and the hope of a great 
ransom, were of the contrary opinion ; thus the assembly 
broke up without coming to any determination. 
The ensuing day, having sent for the inhabitants of the 
neighboring villages, they returned in great numbers. This 
was a day of continual alarm to the new slaA^es. Many of 
the barbarians made the most outrageous menaces, pointing 
to the fire, and giving them to understand that they would be 
burned alive ; others, drawing their sabres, appeared resolved, 
by their gestures, to cut off their heads. One of them seized 
Mademoiselle de Bourk by the hair, applying the edge of his 
sabre to her throat ; others charged their muskets with ball, 
in the presence of their captives, and presented them against 
their cheeks. The steward signified, by signs, that he and his 
