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 sa