ee Mooresses and two little children, who did not seem in the least
frightened by our visit. A negro servant, belonging to an officer of
marine, interpreted between us; and the good women, who, when they had
heard of our misfortunes, offered us millet and water for payment. We
bought a little of that grain at the rate of thirty pence a handful;
the water was got for three francs a glass; it was very good, and none
grudged the money it cost. As a glass of water, with a handful of
millet, was but a poor dinner for famished people, my father bought
two kids, which they would not give him under twenty piastres. We
immediately killed them, and our Mooresses boiled them in a large
kettle. While our repast was preparing, my father, who could not
afford the whole of the expense, got others to contribute to it, but
an old officer of marine, who was to have been captain of the port of
Senegal, was the only person who refused, notwithstanding he had about
him nearly three thousand francs which he boasted of in the end.
Several soldiers and sailors had seen him count it in round pieces of
gold, on coming ashore on the Desert, and reproached him for his
sordid avarice; but he seemed insensible to their reproaches, nor eat
the less of his portion of the kid with his companions in misfortune.

When about to resume our journey, we saw several Moors approaching us
armed with lances. Our people instantly seized their arms, and put
themselves in readiness to defend us in case of an attack. Two
officers, followed by several soldiers and sailors, with our
interpreter, advanced to discover their intentions. They instantly
returned with the Moors, who said, that far from wishing to do us
harm, they had come to offer us their assistance, and to conduct us to
Senegal. This offer being accepted of with gratitude by all of us, the
Moors, of whom we had been so afraid, became our protectors and
friends, verifying the old proverb, there are good people everywhere!
As the camp of the Moors was at some considerable distance from where
we were, we set off altogether to reach it before night. After having
walked about two leagues through the burning sands, we found ourselves
again upon the shore. Towards night, our conductors made us strike
again into the interior, saying we were near their camp which is
called in their language Berkelet. But the short distance of the Moors
was found very long by the females and the children, on account of the
downs of