368 SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDTJSA. 
the youngest of my brothers had been for several days at- 
tacked with a strong fever ; and we were all slightly seized 
with the same disease. My father, taking our oldest brother 
with him, left us for the isle of Safal, promising to come and 
see us every Sunday. I went with him to the court-gate, con- 
juring him, above all things, not to expose himself, and to take 
care of his health, which was so precious to us. That worthy 
man embraced me, and bade me fear nothing on that head, for 
he too well felt how necessary his life was to his children, to 
expose it imprudently. " For my health," added he, " I hope to 
preserve it long, unless Heaven has decided otherwise." With 
these words he bid me adieu, and went away ; I returned to 
the house and gave free vent to my tears. I know not what 
presentiment then seized me, for I felt as if I had seen my fa- 
ther for the last time ; and it Avas only at the end of the third 
day, on receiving a letter written with his own hand, that I 
could divest myself of these gloomy ideas. He told us he was 
very well, and that all was quiet at Safal. On the same day I 
wrote to inform him of the condition of our young brother, who 
was a little better during the evening ; I sent him at the same 
time some loaves of new bread and three bottles of wine, which 
a generous person had the goodness to give us. On the follow- 
ing Sunday we sat waiting his arrival, but a frightful tempest 
that raged during all the day, deprived us of that pleasure ; 
we, however, received accounts from him every two days, 
which were always satisfactory. 
About the 1st of August, 1819, the best friend of my fa- 
ther, M. Dard, v/ho, from the commencement of our misfor- 
tunes had not withheld his helping hand from us, came to an- 
nounce his approaching departure for France, and to bid us 
farewell. We congratulated him on the happiness of leaving 
so melancholy a place as Senegal. After we had talked some 
time about our unfortunate situation, and of the little hope we 
had of ever getting out of it, that sensible man, feeling his 
tears beginning to flow, took leave of us, promising to visit 
my father in passing Babaguey. Some days after, our young 
sister became dangerously ill ; the fever attacked me also ; 
and in less than forty-eight hours all our family were seized 
with the same disease. Caroline, however, had still suffi- 
cient strength to take care of us ; and but for her assistance, 
we would all perhaps have become a prey to the malady 
which oppressed us. That good sister durst not acquaint my 
father with the deplorable condition in which we all were : 
but, alas ! she was soon obliged to tell him the melancholy 
