THE CARAVAN REGAINS THE SHORE--A SAIL IS DISCOVERED--IT BRINGS
ASSISTANCE TO THE CARAVAN--GREAT GENEROSITY OF AN
ENGLISHMAN--CONTINUATION OF THEIR JOURNEY--EXTRAORDINARY
HEAT--THEY KILL A BULLOCK--REPAST OF THE CARAVAN--AT LAST THEY
DISCOVER THE RIVER SENEGAL--JOY OF THE UNFORTUNATE--M. PICARD
RECEIVES ASSISTANCE FROM SOME OLD FRIENDS AT SENEGAL--HOSPITALITY
OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE ISLAND OF ST LOUIS TOWARDS EVERY PERSON
OF THE CARAVAN.
At five in the morning of the 11th of July we regained the sea-shore.
Our asses, fatigued with the long journey among the sands, ran instantly
and lay down among the breakers, in spite of our utmost exertions to
prevent them. This caused several of us to take a bath we wished not: I
was myself held under my ass in the water, and had great difficulty in
saving one of my young brothers who was floating away. But, in the end,
as this incident had no unfortunate issue, we laughed, and continued our
route, some on foot, and some on the capricious asses. Towards ten
o'clock, perceiving 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
satisfaction of seeing it was noticed. The ship having approached
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 very wrongfully
supposed that these people had had a design against us, for their
devotion could not appear greater than when five of them darted through
the waves to endeavour 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 barrels. Arrived
on shore, one of them gave a letter to M. Espiau from M. Parnajon. This
gentleman was the captain of the Argus brig, sent to seek after the
raft, and to give us provisions. 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 instantly 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
allowance of wine at one gulp; the brandy was not even despised by the
ladies. I however preferred quantity to quality, and exchanged my ration
of brandy for that of wine. To describe our joy, whilst taking this
repast, is impossible. Exposed to the fierce rays of a vertical sun;
exhausted by a long train of suffering; deprived for a long while the
use of any kind of spirituous 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 became precious to us.
Foreheads, lowering and sulky, began to unwrinkle; enemies became most
brotherly; the avaricious endeavoured to forget their selfishness and
cupidity; the children smiled for the first time since our shipwreck; in
a word, every one seemed to be born again from a condition melancholy
and dejected. I even believe the sailors sung the praises of their
mistresses.
This journey was the most fortunate for us. Some short while after our
delicious meal, we saw several Moors approaching, who brought milk and
butter, so that we had refreshments in abundance. It is true we paid a
little dear for them; the glass of milk cost not less than three francs.
After reposing about three hours, our caravan proceeded on its route.
About six in the evening, my father finding himself extremely fatigued,
wished to rest himself. We allowed the caravan to move on, whilst my
step-mother and myself remained near him, and the rest of the family
followed with their asses. We all three soon fell asleep. When we awoke,
we were astonished at not seeing our companions. The sun was sinking in
the west. We saw several Moors approaching us, mounted on camels; and my
father reproached himself for having slept so long. Their appearance
gave us great uneasiness, and we wished much to escape from them, but my
step-mother and myself fell quite exhausted. The Moors, with long
beards, having come quite close to us, one of them alighted and
addressed us in the following words. "Be comforted, ladies; under the
costume of an Arab, you see an Englishman who is desirous of serving
you. Having heard at Senegal that Frenchmen were thrown ashore on these
deserts, I thought my presence might be of some service to them, as I
was acquainted with several of the princes of this arid country." These
noble words from the mouth of a man we had at first taken to be a Moor,
instantly quieted our fears. Recovering from our fright, we rose and
expressed to the philanthropic Englishman the gratitude we felt. Mr
Carnet,[6] the name of the generous Briton, told us that our caravan,
which he had met, waited for us at about the distance of two leagues. He
then gave us some biscuit, which we eat; and we then set off together to
join our companions. Mr Carnet wished us to mount his camels, but my
stepmother and myself, being unable to persuade ourselves we could sit
securely on their hairy haunches, continued to walk on the moist sand,
whilst my father, Mr Carnet, and the Moors who accompanied him,
proceeded on the camels. We soon reached a little river, called in the
country Marigot des Maringoins. We wished to drink of it, but found it
as salt as the sea. Mr Carnet desired us to have patience, and we should
find some at the place where our caravan waited. We forded that river
knee-deep. At last, having walked about an hour, we rejoined our
companions, who had found several wells of fresh water. It was resolved
to pass the night in this place, which seemed less arid than any we saw
near us. The soldiers, being requested to go and seek wood to light a
fire, for the purpose of frightening the ferocious beasts which were
heard roaring around us, refused; but Mr Carnet assured us, that the
Moors who were with him knew well how to keep all such intruders from
our camp. In truth, during the whole of the night, these good Arabs
promenaded round our caravan, uttering cries at intervals like those we
had heard in the camp of the generous Amet.
[Footnote 6: In the work of MM. Correard and Savigny, this
gentleman is made mention of in substance as follows. "On the
evening of the 11th, they met with more of the natives, and an
Irishman, captain of a merchantman, who, of his own accord, had
left St Louis with the intention of assisting the sufferers. He
spoke the language of the country, and was dressed in the Moorish
costume. We are sorry we cannot recollect the name of this foreign
officer, which we would have a real pleasure in publishing; but,
since time has effaced it from our memories, we will at least
publish his zeal and his noble efforts, titles well worthy the
gratitude of every feeling heart." pp. 164-165. Paris, 1818,
8vo.--_Trans._]
We passed a very good night, and at four in the morning continued our
route along the shore. Mr Carnet left us to endeavour to procure some
provisions. Till then our asses had been quite docile; but, annoyed with
their riders so long upon their backs, they refused to go forward. A fit
took possession of them, and all at the same instant threw their riders
on the ground, or among the bushes. The Moors, however, who accompanied
us, assisted to catch our capricious animals, who had nearly scampered
off, and replaced us on the hard backs of these headstrong creatures. At
noon the heat became so violent, that even the Moors themselves bore it
with difficulty. We then determined on finding some shade behind the
high mounds of sand which appeared in the interior; but how were we to
reach them! The sands could not be hotter. We had been obliged to leave
our asses on the shore, for they would neither advance nor recede. The
greater part of us had neither shoes nor hats; notwithstanding, we were
obliged to go forward almost a long league to find a little shade. The
heat reflected by the sands of the Desert could be compared to nothing
but the mouth of an oven at the moment of drawing out the bread;
nevertheless, we endured it; but not without cursing those who had been
the occasion of all our misfortunes. Arrived behind the heights for
which we searched, we stretched ourselves under the Mimosa-gommier, (the
acacia of the Desert), several broke branches from the asclepia
(swallow-wort), and made themselves a shade. But whether from want of
air, or the heat of the ground on which we were seated, we were nearly
all suffocated. I thought my last hour was come. Already my eyes saw
nothing but a dark cloud, when a person of the name of Borner, who was
to have been a smith at Senegal, gave me a boot containing some muddy
water, which he had had the precaution to keep. I seized the elastic
vase, and hastened to swallow the liquid in large draughts. One of my
companions, equally tormented with thirst, envious of the pleasure I
seemed to feel, and which I felt effectually, drew the foot from the
boot, and seized it in his turn, but it availed him nothing. The water
which remained was so disgusting, that he could not drink it, and
spilled it on the ground. Captain Begnere, who was present, judging, by
the water which fell, how loathsome must that have been which I had
drank, offered me some crumbs of biscuit, which he had kept most
carefully in his pocket. I chewed that mixture of bread, dust, and
tobacco, but I could not swallow it, and gave it all masticated to one
of my young brothers, who had fallen from inanition.
We were about to quit this furnace, when we saw our generous Englishman
approaching, who brought us provisions. At this sight I felt my strength
revive, and ceased to desire death, which I had before called on to
release me from my sufferings. Several Moors accompanied Mr Carnet, and
every one was loaded. On their arrival we had water, with rice and dried
fish in abundance. Every one drank his allowance of water, but had not
ability to eat, although the rice was excellent. We were all anxious to
return to the sea, that we might bathe ourselves, and the caravan put
itself on the road to the breakers of Sahara. After an hour's march of
great suffering, we regained the shore, as well as our asses, who were
lying in the water. We rushed among the waves, and after a bath of half
an hour, we reposed ourselves upon the beach. My cousin and I went to
stretch ourselves upon a small rising ground, where we were shaded with
some old clothes which we had with us. My cousin was clad in an
officer's uniform, the lace of which strongly attracted the eyes of Mr
Carnet's Moors. Scarcely had we lain down, when one of them, thinking we
were asleep, came to endeavour to steal it; but seeing we were awake,
contented himself by looking at us very steadfastly.
Such is the slight incident which it has pleased MM. Correard and
Savigny to relate in their account of the shipwreck of the Medusa in a
totally different manner. Believing doubtless to make it more
interesting or amusing, they say, that one of the Moors who were our
guides, either through curiosity or a stronger sentiment, approached
Miss Picard whilst asleep, and, after having examined her form, raised
the covering which concealed her bosom, gazing awhile like one
astonished, at length drew nearer, but durst not touch her. Then, after
having looked a long while, he replaced the covering; and, returning to
his companions, related in a joyous manner what he had seen. Several
Frenchmen having observed the proceedings of the Moor, told M. Picard,
who, after the obliging offers of the officers, decided in clothing the
rest of the ladies in the military dress on purpose to prevent their
being annoyed by the attentions of the inhabitants of the Desert. Mighty
well! I beg pardon of MM. Correard and Savigny, but there is not one
word of truth in all this. How could these gentlemen see from the raft
that which passed during the 12th of July on the shore of the Desert of
Sahara? And supposing that this was reported to them by some one of our
caravan, and inserted in their work, which contains various other
inaccuracies, I have to inform them they have been deceived.
About three in the morning, a north-west wind having sprung up and a
little refreshed us, our caravan continued its route; our generous
Englishman again taking the task of procuring us provisions. At four
o'clock the sky became overcast, and we heard thunder in the distance.
We all expected a great tempest, which, happily did not take place.
Near seven we reached the spot where we were to wait for Mr. Carnet, who
came to us with a bullock he had purchased. Then quitting the shore, we
went into the interior to seek a place to cook our supper. We fixed our
camp beside a small wood of acacias, near to which were several wells or
cisterns of fresh water. Our ox was instantly killed, skinned, cut to
pieces, and distributed. A large fire was kindled, and each was occupied
in dressing his meal. At this time I caught a smart fever;
notwithstanding I could not help laughing at seeing every one seated
round a large fire holding his piece of beef on the point of a bayonet,
a sabre, or some sharp-pointed stick. The flickering of the flames on
the different faces, sunburned and covered with long beards, rendered
more visible by the darkness of the night, joined to the noise of the
waves and the roaring of ferocious beasts which we heard in the
distance, presented a spectacle at once laughable and imposing. If a
David or a Girodet had seen us, said I to myself, we would soon have
been represented on canvass in the galleries of the Louvre as real
cannibals; and the Parisian youth, who know not what pleasure it is to
devour a handful of wild purslain, to drink muddy water from a boot, to
eat a roast cooked in smoke--who know not, in a word, how comfortable it
is to have it in one's power to satisfy one's appetite when hungry in
the burning deserts of Africa, would never have believed that, among
these half-savages, were several born on the banks of the Seine.
Whilst these thoughts were passing across my mind, sleep overpowered my
senses. Being awaked in the middle of the night, I found my portion of
beef in the shoes which an old sailor had lent me for walking among the
thorns. Although it was a little burned and smelt strongly of the dish
in which it was contained, I eat a good part of it, and gave the rest to
my friend the sailor. That seaman, seeing I was ill, offered to exchange
my meat for some which he had had the address to boil in a small
tin-box. I prayed him to give me a little water if he had any, and he
instantly went and fetched me some in his hat. My thirst was so great
that I drank it out of this nasty cap without the slightest repugnance.
A short while after, every one awoke, and again took the route for
arriving at Senegal at an early hour. Towards seven in the morning,
having fallen a little behind the caravan, I saw several Moors coming
towards me armed with lances. A young sailor boy, aged about twelve
years, who sometimes walked with me, stopped and cried in great terror,
"Ah! my God, lady, see the Moors are coming, and the caravan is already
a great way before us; if they should carry us away?" I told him to fear
nothing, although I was really more frightened than he was. These Arabs
of the Desert soon came up to us. One of them advanced with a
threatening air, and stopping my ass, addressed to me, in his barbarous
language, some words which he pronounced with menacing gestures. My
little ship-boy having made his escape, I began to weep; for the Moor
always prevented my ass going forward, who was perhaps as well content
at resting a little. However, from the gestures which he made, I
supposed he wished to know whither I was going, and I cried as loud as
I could, "_Ndar! Ndar!_" (Senegal! Senegal!) the only African words I
then knew. At this the Moor let go the bridle of my ass, and also
assisted me by making him feel the full weight of the pole of his lance,
and then ran off to his companions, who were roaring and laughing. I was
well content at being freed from my fears; and what with the word
_ndar_, and the famous thump of his spear, which was doubtless intended
for my ass, I soon rejoined the caravan. I told my parents of my
adventure, who were ignorant of what had detained me; they reprimanded
me as they ought, and I promised faithfully never again to quit them.
At nine o'clock we met upon the shore a large flock herded by young
Moors. These shepherds sold us milk, and one of them offered to lend my
father an ass for a knife which he had seen him take from his pocket. My
father having accepted the proposal, the Moor left his companions to
accompany us as far as the river Senegal, from which we were yet two
good leagues. There happened a circumstance in the forenoon which had
like to have proved troublesome, but it turned out pleasantly. The
steersman of the Medusa was sleeping upon the sand, when a Moor found
means to steal his sabre. The Frenchman awoke, and as soon as he saw the
thief escaping with his booty, rose and pursued him with horrid oaths.
The Arab, seeing himself followed by a furious European, returned, fell
upon his knees, and laid at the feet of the steersman the sabre which he
had stolen; who, in his turn, touched with this mark of confidence or
repentance, voluntarily gave it to him to keep. During this scene we
frequently stopped to see how it would terminate, whilst the caravan
continued its route. Suddenly we left the shore. Our companions
appearing quite transported with joy, some of us ran forward, and having
gained a slight rising ground, discovered the Senegal at no great
distance from them. We hastened our march, and for the first time since
our shipwreck, a smiling picture presented itself to our view. The trees
always green, with which that noble river is shaded, the humming birds,
the red-birds, the paroquets, the promerops, &c. who flitted among their
long yielding branches, caused in us emotions difficult to express. We
could not satiate our eyes with gazing on the beauties of this place,
verdure being so enchanting to the sight, especially after having
travelled through the Desert. Before reaching the river, we had to
descend a little hill covered with thorny bushes. My ass stumbling threw
me into the midst of one, and I tore myself in several places, but was
easily consoled when I at length found myself on the banks of a river of
fresh water. Every one having quenched his thirst, we stretched
ourselves under the shade of a small grove, whilst the beneficent Mr
Carnet and two of our officers set forward to Senegal to announce our
arrival, and to get us boats. In the meanwhile some took a little
repose, and others were engaged in dressing the wounds with which they
were covered.
At two in the afternoon, we saw a small boat beating against the current
of the stream with oars. It soon reached the spot where we were. Two
Europeans landed, saluted our caravans, and inquired for my father. One
of them said he came on the part of MM. Artigue and Laboure, inhabitants
of Senegal, to offer assistance to our family; the other added, that he
had not waited for the boats which were getting ready for us at the
island of St Louis, knowing too well what would be our need. We were
desirous of thanking them, but they instantly ran off to the boat and
brought us provisions, which my father's old friends had sent him. They
placed before us large baskets containing several loaves, cheese, a
bottle of Madeira, a bottle of filtered water, and dresses for my
father. Every one, who, during our journey, had taken any interest in
our unfortunate family, and especially the brave Captain Begnere, had a
share of our provisions. We experienced a real satisfaction in partaking
with them, and giving them this small mark of our gratitude.
A young aspirant of marine, who had refused us a glass of water in the
Desert, pressed with hunger, begged of us some bread; he got it, also a
small glass of Madeira.
It was four o'clock before the boats of the government arrived, and we
all embarked. Biscuit and wine were found in each of them, and all were
refreshed.
That in which our family were was commanded by M. Artigue, captain of
the port, and one of those who had sent us provisions. My father and he
embraced as two old friends who had not seen one another for eight
years, and congratulated themselves that they had been permitted to meet
once more before they died. We had already made a league upon the river
when a young navy clerk (M. Mollien) was suddenly taken ill. We put him
ashore, and left him to the care of a negro to conduct him to Senegal
when he should recover.
Immediately the town of St Louis presented itself to our view. At the
distance its appearance is fine; but in proportion as it is approached
the illusion vanishes, and it looks as it really is--dirty, very ill
built, poor, and filled with straw huts black with smoke. At six in the
evening we arrived at the port of St Louis. It would be in vain for me
to paint the various emotions of my mind at that delicious moment. I am
bold to say all the colony, if we except MM. Schmaltz and Lachaumareys,
were at the port to receive us from our boats. M. Artigue going on shore
first to acquaint the English governor of our arrival, met him coming to
us on horseback, followed by our generous conductor Mr Carnet, and
several superior officers. We went on shore carrying our brothers and
sisters in our arms. My father presented us to the English 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 people; 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 into their houses; M.
Artigue obligingly took charge of our family. Arriving at his house we
there found his wife, two ladies and an English lady, who begged to be
allowed to assist us. Taking my sister Caroline and myself, she
conducted us to her house, and presented us to her husband, who received
us in the most affable manner; after which she led us to her
dressing-room, where we were combed, cleansed, and dressed by the
domestic negresses, and were most obligingly furnished with linen from
her own wardrobe, the whiteness of which was 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 young Frenchman, who, speaking sufficiently well
their language, served to interpret between us. Inviting us to recite to
them the story of our shipwreck and all our misfortunes, which we did in
few words, they were astonished how females and children had been able
to endure so much fatigue and misery. We were so confused by our
agitation, that we scarcely heard the questions which were put to 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 Englishwoman put us to bed,
where we were not long before we fell into a profound sleep.