ed our
frail existence. My young brothers and sisters wept incessantly for
water. The little Laura, aged six years lay dying at the feet of her
mother. Her mournful cries so moved the soul of my unfortunate father,
that he was on the eve of opening a vein to quench the thirst which
consumed his child; but a wise person opposed his design, observing
that all the blood in his body would not prolong the life of his
infant one moment.

The freshness of the night wind procured us some respite. We anchored
pretty near to the shore, and though dying of famine, each got a
tranquil sleep. On the morning of the 8th of July, at break of day, we
took the route for Senegal. A short while after the wind fell, and we
had a dead calm.--We endeavored to row, but our strength was
exhausted. A fourth and last distribution was made, and in the
twinkling of an eye, our last resources were consumed. We were
forty-two people who had to feed upon six biscuits and about four
pints of water, with no hope of a farther supply. Then came the moment
for deciding whether we were to perish among the breakers, which
defended the approach to the shores of the Desert, or to die of famine
in continuing our route.--The majority preferred the last species of
misery. We continued our progress along the shore, painfully pulling
our oars. Upon the beach were distinguished several downs of white
sand and some small trees. We were thus creeping along the coast,
observing a mournful silence, when a sailor suddenly exclaimed, behold
the Moors! We did, in fact, see various individuals upon the rising
ground, walking at a quick pace, and whom we took to be the Arabs of
the Desert. As we were very near the shore, we stood farther out to
sea, fearing that these pretended Moors, or Arabs, would throw
themselves into the sea, swim out, and take us. Some hours after, we
observed several people upon an eminence, who seemed to make signals
for us.

We examined them attentively, and soon recognized them to be our
companions in misfortune. We replied to them by attaching a white
handkerchief to the top of our mast. Then we resolved to land at the
risk of perishing among the breakers, which were very strong towards
the shore, although the sea was calm. On approaching the beach, we
went towards the right, where the waves seemed less agitated, and
endeavored to reach it, with the hope of being able more easily to
land. Scarcely had we directed our course to that point, when