196 SHIPWRECK OF M. DE BRISSON. 
I was the more urgent in intreating him not to delay, as 
the nights now began to be very uncomfortable, the dew fre- 
quently wetting us through the bushes which afforded a kind 
of shelter. From this dcAv, however, we obtained some relief; 
for, by collecting it in our hands from our bodies, it served to 
quench our thirst, which the coolness of the night did not allay, 
and we preferred it to our OAvn urine, Avhich we were necessi- 
tated to drink. Having spoken to my master a second time, 
he made me such a reply as convinced me he was sincere. 
" Dost thou think," said he, "that in the present excessive heat 
it Avould be possible to travel AA'ithout provisions, and, above all, 
ivithout water 1 We should find it very difficult to approach 
the Senegal, as the river has inundated all the plains, and w0 
should have much to fear from the Arabs of the tribe of Trar- 
gee, who are our enemies. I tell the truth," added he ; "• we 
must wait till the month of October." 
As we were Christians, when the Arabs had almost exhaust- 
ed their provisions, their dogs fared better than we, and it was 
in the basins destined for their use that we received our allow- 
ance. Their object was to make us change owr religion ; but 
in this they failed, although our food consisted of raw snails* 
and herbs and plants that were trodden under foot. 
I was soon undeceived by a young female Moor, whose 
flocks fed with those 1 tended, respecting the hopes I had en- 
tertained of liberty in consequence of my master's promises* 
and this information rendered my labors still more irksome 
ailu insupportable. 
I no longer met in the fields my companions in misfortune, 
but above all I regretted the loss of the captain. His compa* 
ny had often comforted me in affliction, and I found a kind of 
alleviation in conversing with him on our sufferings, and the 
hopes we entertained of returning to our native land* One 
evening, the coolness of the weather having e»tieed my ca>» 
mels to stray farther than usual, I was under the necessity of 
following them to a neighboring hamlet, where I beheld a 
spectacle truly horrible. The unfortunate captain was ex- 
tended lifeless upon the sand, holding in his mouth one of 
his hands, which his extreme weakness had, doubtless, pre- 
rented him from devouring. He was so altered by famine 
that all his features were absolutely effaced, and his body 
exhibited the most disgusting appearance. 
A few days afterward the second captain, having fallen 
through weakness at the foot of an old gum tree, was attack- 
ed by an enormous serpent. Some famished crows by their 
