SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 321 
great ; but how much was it lessened by the feelings of our 
horrible situation ! Without water, without provisions, and the 
majority of us nearly naked, was it to be wondered at that we 
should be seized with terror on thinking of the obstacles 
which we had to surmount, the fatigues, the privations, the 
pains, and the sufferings Ave had to endure, with the dangers 
we had to encounter in the immense and frightful desert we 
had to traverse before we could arrive at our destination ? Al- 
mighty Providence ! it was in Thee alone I put my trust. 
After we had a little recovered from the fainting and ia- 
tigue of our getting on shore, our fellow-sufferers told us they 
had landed in the forenoon, and had cleared the breakers by 
the strength of their oars and sails ; but they had not all been 
so lucky as we were. One imfortunate person, too desirous 
of getting quickly on shore, had his legs broken under the 
shallop, and was taken and laid on the beach, and left to the 
care of Providence. M. Espiau, commander of the shallop, 
reproached us for having doubted him when he wished to 
board us to take our family along with him. It was most 
true he had landed sixty-three people that day. A short while 
after our refusal, he took the passengers of the yawl, who 
would infallibly have perished in the stormy night of the 6th 
and 7th. The boat named the Senegal, commanded by M. 
Maudet, had made the shore at the same time with M. Es- 
piau. The boats of MM. Schmaltz and Lachaumareys were 
the only ones which continued the route for Senegal, whilst 
nine-tenths of the Frenchmen intrusted to these gentlemen 
were butchering each other on the raft, or dying of hunger 
on the burning sands of Sahara. 
About seven in the morning a caravan was formed to pene- 
trate into the interior, for the purpose of finding some fresh 
water. We did accordingly find some at a little distance 
from the sea, by digging among the sand. Every one in- 
stantly flocked round the little wells, which furnished enough 
to quench our thirst. This brackish water was found to be 
delicious, although it had a sulphurous taste : its color was 
that of whey. As all our clothes were wet and in tatters, 
and as we had nothing to change them, some generous offi- 
cers offered theirs. My step-mother, my cousin, and my sis- 
ter were dressed in them ; for myself, I preferred keeping my 
own. We remained nearly an hour beside our beneficient 
fountain, then took the route for Senegal ; that is, a southerly 
direction, for Ave did not knoAv exactly where that country lay. 
It was agreed that the females and children should walk b^- 
