because
his religion would not allow him to lodge with Christians under the same
roof. The place appeared very dark, and the obscurity made us uneasy.
Amet and our conductors lighted a large fire to quiet us; and at last,
bidding us good night, and retiring to his tent, said, "Sleep in peace;
the God of the Christians is also the God of the Musulmen."

We had resolved to quit this truly hospitable place early in the
morning; but during the night, some people who had probably too much
money, imagined the Moors had taken us to their camp to plunder us. They
communicated their fears to others, and pretending that the Moors, who
walked up and down among their flocks, and cried from time to time, to
keep away the ferocious beasts, had already given the signal for
pursuing and murdering us. Instantly a general panic seized all our
people, and they wished to set off forthwith. My father, although he
well knew the perfidy of the inhabitants of the Desert, endeavoured to
assure them we had nothing to fear, because the Arabs were too
frightened for the people of Senegal, who would not fail to avenge us if
we were insulted; but nothing could quiet their apprehensions, and we
had to take the route during the middle of the night. The Moors being
soon acquainted with our fears, made us all kinds of protestations; and
seeing we persisted in quitting the camp, offered us asses to carry us
as far as the Senegal. These beasts of burden were hired at the rate of
12 francs a day, for each head, and we took our departure under the
guidance of those Moors who had before conducted us to the camp. Amet's
wife being unwell, he could not accompany us, but recommended us
strongly to our guides. My father was able to hire only two asses for
the whole of our family; and as it was numerous, my sister Caroline, my
cousin, and myself, were obliged to crawl along, whilst my unfortunate
father followed in the suite of the caravan, which in truth went much
quicker than we did.

A short distance from the camp, the brave and compassionate Captain
Begnere, seeing we still walked, obliged us to accept of the ass he had
hired for himself, saying he would not ride when young ladies, exhausted
with fatigue, followed on foot. The King afterwards honourably
recompensed this worthy officer, who ceased not to regard our
unfortunate family with a care and attention I will never forget.

During the remainder of the night, we travelled in a manner sufficiently
agre