828 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 
ing a ship out at sea, we attached a white handkerchief to the 
muzzle of a gun, waving it in the air, and soon had the satis- 
faction of seeing it was noticed. The ship having approach- 
ed sufficiently near the coast, the Moors who were with us 
threw themselves into the sea and swam to it. It must be 
said we had wrongfully supposed that these people had a de- 
sign against us, for their devotion could not appear greater 
than when five of them darted through the waves to endeavor 
to communicate between us and the ship ; notwithstanding, it 
was still a good quarter of a league distant from where we 
stood on the beach. In about half an hour we saw these good 
Moors returning, making float before them three small bar- 
rels. Arrived on shore, one of them gave a letter to M. Es- 
piau from M. Parnajon. This gentleman was the captain of 
the Argus brig, sent to seek after the raft, and to give us pro- 
visions. This letter announced a small barrel of biscuit, a 
tierce of wine, a half tierce of brandy, and a Dutch cheese. 
O fortunate event ! We were very desirous of testifying our 
gratitude to the generous commander of the brig, but he in- 
stantly set out and left us. We staved the barrels which held 
our small stock of provisions, and made a distribution. Each 
of us had a biscuit, about a glass of wine, a half glass of 
brandy, and a small morsel of cheese. Each drank his al- 
lowance of wine at one gulp; the brandy was not even despis- 
ed by the ladies. I however preferred quantity to quality, and 
exchanged my ration of brandy for that of wine. To de- 
scribe our joy, whilst taking this repast, is impossible. Ex- 
posed to the fierce rays of a vertical sun; exhausted by a long 
train of suffering ; deprived for a long while of the use of any 
kind of spiritous liquors ; when our portions of water, wine, 
and brandy mingled in our stomachs, we became like insane 
people. Life, which had lately been a great burden, now be- 
came precious to us. Foreheads, lowering and sulky, began to 
unwrinkle ; enemies became most brotherly ; the avaricious 
endeavored to forget their selfishness and cupidity ; the chil- 
dren smiled for the first time since our shipwreck ; in a word, 
every one seemed to be born again from a condition melancho- 
ly and dejected. I even believe the sailors sung the praises of 
their mistresses. 
This journey was the most fortunate for us. Some short 
while afte^ our delicious meal, we saw several Moors ap- 
proaching, who brought milk and butter, so that we had re- 
freshments in abundance. It is true we paid a little dear for 
them ; a glass of milk cost not less than three francs. Af- 
