sand, ran
instantly and lay down among the breakers, in spite of our utmost
exertions to prevent them. This caused several of us to take a bath we
wished not; I was myself held under my ass in the water, and had great
difficulty in saving one of my young brothers who was floating away.
But, in the end as this incident had no unfortunate issue, we laughed,
and continued our route, some on foot and some on the capricious
asses. Towards ten o'clock, perceiving a ship out at sea, we attached
a white handkerchief to the muzzle of a gun, waiving it in the air,
and soon had the satisfaction of seeing it was noticed. The ship
having approached sufficiently near the coast, the Moors who were
with us threw themselves into the sea and swam to it. It must be said
we had very wrongfully supposed that these people had had a design
against us, for their devotion could not appear greater than when five
of them darted through the waves to endeavor to communicate between us
and the ship, notwithstanding it was still a good quarter of a league
distant from where we stood on the beach. In about half an hour we saw
these good Moors returning, making float before them three small
barrels. Arrived on shore, one of them gave a letter to M. Espiau from
M. Parnajon. This gentleman was the captain of the Argus brig, sent to
seek after the raft, and to give us provisions. This letter announced
a small barrel of biscuit, a tierce of wine, a half tierce of brandy,
and a Dutch cheese. O fortunate event! We were very desirous of
testifying our gratitude to the generous commander of the brig, but he
instantly set out and left us. We staved the barrels which held our
small stock of provisions, and made a distribution.--Each of us had a
biscuit, about a glass of wine, a half glass of brandy, and a small
morsel of cheese. Each drank his allowance of wine at one gulp; the
brandy was not even despised by the ladies. I however preferred
quantity to quality, and exchanged my ration of brandy for that of
wine. To describe our joy, while taking this repast, is impossible.
Exposed to the fierce rays of a vertical sun; exhausted by a long
train of suffering; deprived for a long while, the use of any kind of
spirituous liquors, when our portions of water, wine and brandy
mingled in our stomachs we became like insane people.

Life, which had lately been a great burden, now became precious to us.
Foreheads, lowering and sulky, began to unwrinkle; enemies became most