SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 353 
Our little republic, to which my father gave laws, was go- 
verned in the following manner : — We usually rose about day- 
break, and met altogether in the large cottage. After having 
embraced our father, we fell upon oim knees to return thanks 
to the Supreme Being, for the gift of another day. That fin- 
ished, my father led the negroes to their work, during which 
my sister and myself arranged the family affairs, and prepar- 
ed breakfast, when, about eight o'clock, we returned to the 
cottage. Breakfast being over, each took his little bag and 
went and gathered cotton. About noon, as the heat became 
insupportable, all returned to the cottage, and worked at dif- 
ferent employments. I was principally charged with the edu- 
cation of my young brothers and sisters, and the young ne- 
groes of the family. Round my little hut were suspended 
various pictures for study, upon which I taught them to read, 
according to the method of mutual assistance. A bed of sand, 
smoothed upon a small bench, served the younger ones to 
trace and understand the letters of the alphabet ; the others 
wrote upon slates. We bestowed nearly two hours upon 
each exercise, and then my scholars amused themselves at 
different games. At three o'clock all returned to the cotton 
field, and remained till five. Dinner, which we usually had 
at six, was followed by a little family conversation, in which 
the children were interrogated concerning w^hat they had been 
taught during the day. When I was well pleased with them 
I promised them a story, or a fable, in the evening. Some- 
times after dinner we went to take a short walk on the banks 
of the river ; then returned to the cottage, where Etienne had 
the care of lighting a large fire, the heat of which forced 
the musketoes and gnats to yield their place to the little cir- 
cle which our family made round the hearth. Then my sis- 
ter Caroline and myself related some fables to the children, 
or read them a lesson from the Evangelists or the Bible ; 
whilst my father smoked his pipe, amusing himself by con- 
templating all his family around him. The hour of going to 
bed being arrived, we made a common prayer, after which all 
retired to their separate huts to sleep. 
Thus our days glided away amid the occupations of the 
fields and the recreations of the family. On Sundays our 
labors were suspended. Sometimes, to spend the day more 
agreeably, and avoid the molestations of the hunters, who of- 
ten came to our island, we went to the island of Bokos, situ- 
ated to the east of Safal. On reaching it, we seated ourselves 
under a large baobab, which was more than thirty feet in eir- 
30* 
