NARRATIVE

OF HIS SHIPWRECK

ON THE

COAST OF BARBARY,

AND

CAPTIVITY AMONG THE MOORS.

HE lively manner in which this ingenious Frenchman paints the horrors of his captivity, among a barbarous people, precludes, not only the neceflity, but the propriety, of our attempting to heighten the defcription by any additional remarks. We fhall, therefore, introduce him at once to our readers, and doubt not but they will participate with us in feeling for his misfortunes, and in admiration of his fortitude.

Having made feveral voyages to Africa, I received an order, in June 1785, from the Marshal de Caftries, then minifter and fecretary of ftate for the marine department, to embark for the Island of St. Louis, at Senegal, in the St. Catharine, commanded by Monfieur Le Turc. On the 10th of July, we paffed between the Canary IДe and that of Palma; and foon after, the captain

having rejected my advice as to the caution neceffary to be observed in pafling those feas, the fhip ftruck against the fhoals.

A dreadful noise now ensued. The mafts being loofened by the fhock, quivered over our heads. The fails, being violently agitated, were torn into a thousand rags. The terror became general, and the cries of the failors, mixed with the dreadful roaring of the sea, which feemed as if irritated at seeing its course stopped between the rocks and the veffel, which it was about to fwallow up, ftill added to the horror of the scene.' In this dangerous ftate, the confternation of the crew was fo great, that no one thought of faving himself. "O my wife!" cried one. "O my dear children!" exclaimed a fecond; while others lifted their hands to heaven, and implored the Divine protection. However, by means of axes, we cut away the mafts, hoping that we fhould be able to fave the fhip. But our exertions were of no avail, the hold was already filled with water.

We should have been inevitably loft, had not Mr. Yan, one of the lieutenants, Mr. Suret, a paffenger, three English failors, and a few others, encouraged by my example, affifted me to hoift out the chaloupe, and to prevent it afterwards from being funk, or dashed to pieces against the fides of the fhip. We were obliged to ftruggle the whole night against the fury of the sea, that, when the day appeared, we might be able to avoid the rocks, which furrounded us on all fides, and to get, if poffible,,on fhore.

Scarcely had we made two ftrokes with our oars, when they were swept from the hands of the rowers, by the violence of the waves; the chaloupe was overfet, and we were, in an inftant,

separated,

separated, and all, except Mr. Devoise, brother to the conful at Tripoli, caft upon a bank of sand. I, however, threw myself immediately into the water, and was fortunate enough to fave him from deftruction.

Our unfortunate companions, who had remained on board, now faw themselves deprived of every afliftance' from us; but I foon revived their hopes, by plunging into the waves, accompanied by Mr. Yan, by whofe zeal and activity my efforts were feconded. He prevailed upon the rest to join us in endeavouring to get the chaloupe afloat again, which we accomplished with a great deal of difficulty; but we found ourselves amply re. paid for our labour, when we fet the reft of the crew on fhore. We, however, escaped this first danger, only to become the victims of a second, ftill more terrible.

When the wretched crew had reached fhore, I prevailed on them to climb the furrounding rocks, on the fummit of which we difcovered an immenfe plain, the view of which was terminated by the appearance of fome little hills, covered with a kind of wild fern. On these hills, we faw fome children collecting a flock of goats. As foon as they beheld ftrangers, they fet up fuch cries as inftantly alarmed, and brought together, the neighbouring inhabitants. After they had viewed the crew, they began to dance and caper, and, at the fame time, uttered the most horrid cries and yells.

When we came up to these savages, fome of my companions, and, among others, the first and fecond lieutenants, feparated from us. They were immediately furrounded, and feized by the collar, and it was then that, by the reflection of the fun's rays from the polished blades of their poignards,

we

we discovered, for the first time, that they were armed. Not having perceived this before, I had advanced without any fear.

Our two unhappy companions having difappeared, I was not able to make the men ftop, even for a little time. Fear got so much poffeffion of their hearts, that they, all together, gave vent to cries of defpair, and fled different ways. The Arabs, armed with cutlaffes and large clubs, fell upon them with incredible ferocity, and I had the mortification of foon feeing fome of them wounded, whilft others, ftripped and naked, lay ftretched out and expiring on the fand.

I was fortunate enough to obtain a promise of good-will from an Arab without arms, who afterwards proved to be a talbe, or prieft, by giving him two beautiful watches, a gold stock-buckle, two pair of filver fleeve-buckles, a ring fet with diamonds, a filver goblet, and two hundred and twenty livres in fpecie. The latter article afforded the Arab moft pleasure.

The news of our fhipwreck being, by this time, fpread abroad throughout the country, we faw the fayages running, with the greatest eagerness, from all quarters: their numbers naturally increafed the jealoufy of the reft, fo that they foon came to blows, and many of them loft their lives in the conteft. The women, enraged that they could not pillage the fhip, threw themfelves upon us, and tore from us the few articles of drefs which we had left; but mine principally attracted their attention, as it seemed to be more worthy of no

tice.

My mafter, who was far from being of a warlike difpofition, perceiving that the number of the Arabs increased every moment, called afide two

of

of his friends, whom he cunningly admitted as partners with him in the property of twelve of the crew, who had given themselves up to him. After he had made his arrangements, he retired from the crowd, that he might shelter us from infult; and the place which he made choice of for that purpose, was a wretched hut, covered with mofs, and fituated at the diftance of more than a league from the fea, where we were lodged, or rather heaped one upon the other.

The first care of our patron was to pay us a vifit, and to fearch us, to fee that we had concealed none of our property. My companions, unluckily for them, had referved nothing, and on that account he was in a very ill humour, and treated them without any mercy. He took from them even their thirts and their handkerchiefs, giving them to understand, that if he did not do them that favour, others would. He attempted also to pay me the fame compliment; but having obferved to him, that I had already given him enough, I met with no farther moleftation.

Not knowing, as yet, among what tribe we had fallen, I addreffed myself to our master, with a view of being informed; and, partly by words, and partly by figns, I held the following converfation with him. "What is thy name, and that of thy tribe, and why didft thou fly from thefe crowds, who advanced towards the thores of the fea?""My name is Sidy Mahammet of Zouze; my tribe is that of Labdeffeba, and I fled from the Ouadelims, because we do not live in good terms with one another." I was much affected to learn that we had fallen into the hands of the moft ferocious people who inhabit the deferts of Africa.

VOL. X.

S

While