336 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 
followed by our generous conductor, Mr. Garnet, and several 
superior officers. We went on shore carrying our brothers 
and sisters in our arms. My father presented us to the Eng- 
lish governor, who had alighted : he appeared to be sensibly 
affected with our misfortunes, the females and children chiefly 
exciting his commiseration. And the native inhabitants and 
Europeans tenderly shook the hands of the unfortunate peo- 
ple ; the negro slaves even seemed to deplore our disastrous 
fate. 
The governor placed the most sickly of our companions in 
an hospital : various inhabitants of the colony received others 
in their houses ; M. Artigue obligingly took charge of our 
family. Arriving at his house, we there found his wife, two 
iadies, and an English lady, who begged to be allowed to as- 
sist us. Taking my sister Caroline and myself, she conduct- 
ed us to her house, and presented us to her husband, who re- 
ceived us in the most a.fFable manner ; after which she led us 
to her dressing-room, where we were combed, cleaned and 
dressed by the dom^estic negresses, and were most obligingl}'- 
furnished with linen from her own wardrobe, the whiteness 
of which Vv^as strongly contrasted with our sable countenances. 
In the midst of my misfortunes my soul had preserved all its 
strength ; but this sudden change of situation affected me so 
much that I thought my intellectual faculties were forsaking 
me. When I had a little recovered from my faintness, our 
generous hostess conducted us to the saloon, where we found 
her husband and several English officers sitting at table. 
These gentlemen invited us to partake of their repast ; but we 
took nothing but tea and some pastry. Among these English 
was a yeung Frenchman, who, speaking sufficiently well their 
language, served to interpret between us. Inviting us to re- 
cite to them the story of our shipwreck and all our misfor- 
tunes, which we did in few words, they were astonished how 
females and children had been able to endure so much fa- 
tigue and misery. We were so confused by our agitation 
that we scarcely heard the questions which were put t-o us, 
having constantly before our eyes the foaming waves and the 
immense tract of' sand over which we had passed. As they 
saw we had need of repose, they all retired, and our worthy 
Englishman put us to bed, where we were not long before 
we fell into a profound sleep. 
At nine o'clock next morning after our arrival we felt quite 
free from our fatigues. We arose, and, as soon as we were 
dressed went to thank our generous host and hostess, Mr. 
