SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 325 
fortunes, ofTered us millet and water for payment. We bought 
a little of that grain at the rate of thirty pence a handful ; the 
water was got for three francs a glass ; it was very good, 
and none grudged the money it cost. As a glass of water, 
with a handful of millet, was but a poor dinner for famished 
people, my father bought two kids, which they would not give 
him under twenty piasters. We immediately killed them, and 
our Mooresses boiled them in a large kettle. Whilst our re- 
past was preparing, my father, who could not afford the whole 
of the expense, got others to contribute to it ; but an old offi- 
cer of marine, who was to have been captain of the port of 
Senegal, was the only person who refused, notwithstanding 
he had about him nearly three thousand francs, which he 
boasted of in the end. Several soldiers and sailors had seen 
him count it in round pieces of gold, on coming ashore on the 
desert, and reproached him for his sordid avarice ; but he 
seemed insensible to their reproaches, nor ate the less of his 
portion of kid with his companions in misfortune. 
When about to resume our journey, we saw several Moors 
approaching to us armed with lances. Our people instantly 
seized their arms, and put themselves in readiness to defend 
us, in case of an attack. Two officers, followed by several 
soldiers and sailors, with our interpreter, advanced to discover 
their intentions. They instantly returned Avilh the Moqrs, 
who said, that, far from wishing to do us harm, they had 
come to offer us their assistance, and to conduct us to Sene- 
gal. This offer being accepted of with gratitude by all of us, 
the Moors, of whom we had been so afraid, became our pro- 
tectors and friends, verifying the old proverb, there are good 
people every inhere! As the camp of the Moors was at som,e 
considerable distance from where we were, we set off alto- 
gether to reach it before night. After having walked about 
two leagues through the burning sands, we found ourselves 
again upon the shore. Toward night our conductors made 
ms strike again into the interior, saying we were very near 
their camp, which is called, in their language, Berkelet. But 
the short distance of the Moors was found very long by the 
females and the children, on account of the downs of sand 
which we had to ascend and descend every instant, also of 
prickly shrubs over which we were frequently obliged to walk. 
Those who were barefooted felt most severely at this time 
the want of their shoes. I m.yself lost among the bushes va- 
rious shreds of my dress, and my feet and legs were all 
streaming with blood. At length, after two long hours of 
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