SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. 369 
news. I know not what passed during two days after my sis- 
ter had written my father, having been seized with delirium. 
When the fit had somewhat abated, and I had recovered my 
senses a little, I began to recognize the people who were 
about me, and I saw my father weeping near my bed. His 
presence revived the little strength I had still left. I wished to 
speak, but my ideas were so confused that I could only arti- 
culate a few unconnected words. I then learned, that after my 
father was acquainted with our dangerous condition, he had 
hastened to Senegal with my oldest brother, who also had been 
attacked. My father seemed to be no better than we were : 
but, to quiet our fears, he told us that he attributed his indispo- 
sition to a cold he had caught from sleeping on a bank of 
sand at Safal. We soon perceived that his disease was more 
of the mind than of the body. I often observed him thought- 
ful, with a wild and disquieted look. This good man, who had 
resisted with such courage all his indignities and misfortunes, 
wept like a child at the sight of his dying family. 
Meanwhile the sickness increased every day in our femily ; 
my young sister was worst. Dr. Gluincey saw her, and pre- 
scribed every remedy he thought necessary to soothe her suf- 
ferings. During the middle of the night she complained of 
great pain in her abdomen, but, after taking the medicine or- 
dered her, she fell quiet, and we believed she was asleep. 
Caroline, who watched us during the night in spite of her 
weakness, took advantage of this supposed slumber to take 
a little repose. A short while after, wishing to see if little 
Laura still slept, she raised the quilt which covered her, and 
uttered a piercing shriek. I awoke, and heard her say in a 
tremulous voice, Alas ! Laura is dead. Our weeping soon 
awoke our unhappy father. He rose, and seeing the face of 
the dead child, cried in wild despair : " It is then all over ; 
my cruel enemies have gained their victory ! They have taken 
from me the bread which I earned with the sweat of my 
brow to support my children ; they have sacrificed my family 
to their implacable hate ; let them now come and enjoy the 
fruit of their malice with the sight of the victim they have 
inmiolated ! Let them come to satiate their fury with the 
scene of misery in which they have plunged us ! O cruel 
S , thy barbarous heart cannot be that of a French- 
man !" On uttering these words, he rushed out and seated 
himself under a gallery which was at the door of the house 
in which we lived. He there remained a long while buried 
in profound meditation, during which time we could not get 
