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er, my sister Caroline, and the youngest of our brothers and sisters. CHAPTER XII. MISS PICARD LIVES IN THE ISLAND OF SAFAL--HER MANNER OF LIVING--SUFFERINGS SHE ENDURED--SHE GATHERS FLOWERS WHICH CONTAIN A DELETERIOUS POISON--HER TWO BROTHERS FALL SICK--THEY ARE CONVEYED TO SENEGAL--MISS PICARD OVERCOME WITH MELANCHOLY ALSO FALLS SICK--STATE IN WHICH SHE IS FOUND--A NEGRO BOILS FOR HER AN OLD VULTURE--RETURN OF MISS PICARD TO SENEGAL--HER CONVALESCENCE--HER RETURN TO THE ISLAND OF SAFAL--M. PICARD GOES THERE TO LIVE WITH ALL HIS FAMILY--DESCRIPTION OF THE FURNITURE OF THE AFRICAN COTTAGE--COUNTRY LIFE--COMFORT OF THEIR FIRESIDE--WALKS OF THE FAMILY--LITTLE PLEASURES WHICH THEY ENJOY. For the space of two months I endured, as did my little brothers, the beams of a burning sun, the irritations of insects and thorns, and the want of that food to which we had been accustomed. I suffered during all the day from a severe headache; but I collected from the ground which belonged to us the cotton, on which were founded all our hopes. At night my two young brothers and myself retired into the cottage, which we used in the island; the working negroes brought the cotton we had collected during the day; after which I set about preparing supper. The children, accompanied by the old negro Etienne (the keeper of the plantation), went and picked up some branches of dry wood. We lighted a large fire in the middle of the hut, and I kneaded the cakes of millet flour which were to be our supper, as well as what was to supply us next day. My paste being prepared, I laid each cake upon the fire which the children had lighted. Often, and especially when we were very hungry, I placed them on a shovel of iron which I set upon the fire. This quick mode of proceeding procured us millet-bread in less than half an hour; but it must be confessed that this species of wafers or cakes, though well enough prepared and baked, was far from having the taste of those we eat at Paris. However, to make them more palatable, I added butter when I had it, or we ate them with some sour milk. With the first dish was served up at the same time the dessert, which stood in place of dainties, of roast meat and salad; it generally consisted of boiled beans, or roasted pistachio nuts. On festival days, being those when my father came to see us, we forgot our bad fare in eating the sweet bread he brought with him from Senegal. In the month of December 18
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