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