me, "were
carried off by the Emperor's son, a very short time after our shipwreck;
they had repassed into France. M. Taffaro, chief surgeon, died with the
blows of a club, by which he had been struck on the head. The Sieur
Raboin, under lieutenant, died since, in terrible sufferings. The
others, to escape the horrors of famine, had renounced their religion.
As for me, Sir, it will not be long ere I follow those that are in their
graves. See what a condition I am in! There is no kind of base treatment
which I do not daily suffer." "Alas! my poor lad," replied I, "do not
give up yourself entirely to grief. If it prove true, that six of your
companions have gotten safe again to France, the Ministry will soon be
made acquainted with our situation; their orders will speedily follow
the first feelings of their hearts; they will cause search to be made
for us, and I doubt not that we will soon see the end of our miseries."

Indeed, I have since learned, that upon the first news of our shipwreck,
M. le Marechal de Castries, had given the most positive orders for our
redemption. But the Sieur Mure, Vice Consul, to whom the orders had been
addressed, in place of acting agreeably to the instructions of the
minister, employed himself wholly in making his court to the Emperor of
Morocco and his officers, whom he loaded with considerable presents, at
the expense of the Court of France.

This agent could have procured our liberty, by applying at Guadnum, to
some Arab or Jewish merchant, who, in consideration of 100 piastres (500
livres), would have traversed every corner of the Desert, and who, it
might be fairly inferred, would have been satisfied with a sum
considerably less, when he had not to go farther than the neighbourhood
of Morocco. As soon as he would have been appointed to conduct the
Christian slaves to Mogador, the Arabs would have brought them thither
from all quarters, in order to receive the ransom for them; and they
would have been glad to have employed what money they received, in
purchasing wheat and barley, which may be had in abundance at Santa Cruz
in Barbary. But the Vice Consul, by his negligence, prolonged our
misfortunes. The Arabs, our masters, were very unwilling to undertake so
long a journey, which is at the same time both troublesome and
dangerous, without the hope of some reward. The Sieur Mure contented
himself with informing the minister, that he had given the strictest
orders that a proper search s