SHIPWRECK OF M. DE BRISSON. 189 
ter and secretary of state for the marine department, to era- 
bark for the island of St. Louis, in the Senegal, in the St. 
Catharine, commanded by M. Le Turc. On the 10th of July 
we passed between the Canary isle and that of Palma, and 
the captain having rejected my advice relative to the caution 
necessary to be observed in those seas, the ship soon afterward 
struck upon shoals. 
A dreadful confusion ensued. The masts being loosened 
by the shock, quivered over our heads, and the sails were torn 
in a thousand pieces. The terror became general ; the cries 
of the sailors, mixed with the terrible roaring of the sea, irri- 
tated, as it were, by the interruption of its course between the 
rocks and the vessel, added to the horrors of the scene. In 
this dangerous state, such was the consternation of the crew, 
that no one thought of saving himself. " O my wife !" cried 
one; "O my dear children!" exclaimed a second; while 
others, extending their hands toward heaven, implored the 
divine protection. In the hope of saving the ship, the masts 
were cut away; but our exertions were of no avail, the hold 
being already filled with water. 
We must inevitably have been lost, had not Mr. Yan, one 
oi the lieutenants ; Mr. Suret, a passenger ; three English sai- 
lors, and a few others, encouraged by my example, assisted 
me to haul out the shallop, and to prevent it afterward from 
being sunk or dashed to pieces against the sides of the ship. 
We were obliged to struggle the whole night against the fury 
of the sea, that when the day appeared we might be able to 
avoid the rocks, by which we were surrounded on all sides, 
and get, if possible, on shore. 
We had scarcely made two strokes with our oars when 
they were swept from the hands of the rowers by the violence 
of the waves ; the shallop was overset ; we were separated in 
an instant, and all, excepting Mr. Devoise, brother to the Con- 
sul at Tripoli, cast upon a sand bank ; I, however, immediate- 
ly threw myself into the water, and was fortunate enough to 
save him from destruction. 
Our unfortunate companions, who had remained on board, 
now saw themselves deprived of every assistance from us ; 
but I soon revived their hopes, by plunging into the waves, 
accompanied by Mr. Yan, whose zeal and activity seconded 
my efforts. He prevailed upon the rest to join in our endea- 
vors to get the shallop afloat again, which we accomplished 
with great difficulty ; but we found ourselves amply repaid 
for our labor when we §et the re^t of the crew on shore. We, 
