SHIPWRECK OF M. DE BRISSON. 191 
called aside two of his friends, whom he cunningly admitted 
as partners with him, in the property of twelve of the crew 
who had surrendered themselves to him. After making his 
arrangements, he retired from the crowd, that he might shel- 
ter us from insult. The place which he chose for that pur- 
pose was a wretched hut, covered with moss, at the distance 
of more than a league from the sea ; here we lodged, or rather 
were heaped one upon the other. 
Our patron's first care was to pay us a visit, and to search 
us, lest we should have concealed some of our property. Un- 
luckily for them, my companions had preserved nothing, on 
which account he was in a very ill humor, and showed them 
no mercy. He took from them even their shirts and hand- 
kerchiefs, intimating, that if he did not do them that favor, 
others would. He likewise attempted to pay m.e the same 
compliment, but upon my observing that I had already given 
him enough, I experienced no farther molestation. 
Being as yet ignorant among what tribe we had fallen, I 
addressed myself to our master for information; and partly 
by words, and partly by signs, I put the following questions to 
him: "What is thy name, and that of thy tribe; and why 
didst thou fly from those crowds who advanced toward the 
shores of the sea?" He replied, " My name is Sidy Moham- 
med, of Zowze ; my tribe is that of Lebdesseba, and I fled 
from the Ouadelims, because we are not on good terms with 
one another." I was much affected to find that we had f.illen 
into the hands of the most ferocious people who inhabit the 
deserts of Africa. 
While the talbe repaired to the shore for more plunder, a 
company of Ouadelims discovered and pillaged our retreat, 
and beat us most unmercifully. I was almost at the last 
gasp, when one of the associates of the talbe came and res- 
cued me, and, before a large assembly, afterward claimed me 
as the reward of his valor. The priest made the stronges-t 
objections to this claim, threatening to chastise the claimant, 
Avho replied to the talbe: "Since this is thy pretension, as 
he cannot be mine, he shall perish by my hand." He had 
scarcely pronounced these words when he drew his poniard 
to stab me. I trembled under the threatening dagger of this 
barbarian : but my master, without losing a moment, threw 
over me a kind of chaplet, formed of a long piece of cord, 
upon which are strung a great number of small black balls, 
and theoi took in his hand a small book which hung in his 
girdle. The women at the same instant rushed toward me, 
