d all
were refreshed.

That in which were our family was commanded by M. Artigue, captain of
the port, and one of those who had sent us provisions. My father and
he embraced as two old friends who had not seen one another for eight
years, and congratulated themselves that they had been permitted to
meet once more before they died. We had already made a league upon the
river when a young navy clerk (M. Mollien) was suddenly taken ill. We
put him ashore, and left him to the care of a negro to conduct him to
Senegal when he should recover.

It would be in vain for me to paint the various emotions of my mind at
that delicious moment. I am bold to say all the colony, if we accept
MM. Schmaltz and Lachaumareys, were at the port to receive us from our
boats. M. Artigue going on shore first to acquaint the English
governor of our arrival, met him coming to us on horseback, followed
by our generous conductor Mr. Carnet, and several superior
officers.--We went on shore carrying our brothers and sisters in our
arms. My father presented us to the English governor, who had
alighted; he appeared to be sensibly affected with our misfortunes,
the females and children chiefly excited his commiseration. And the
native inhabitants and Europeans tenderly shook the hands of the
unfortunate people; the negro slaves even seemed to deplore our
disastrous fate.

The governor placed the most sickly of our companions in a hospital;
various inhabitants of the colony received others into their houses;
M. Artigue obligingly took charge of our family. Arriving at his house
we there found his wife, two ladies and an English lady, who begged to
be allowed to assist us. Taking my sister Caroline and myself, she
conducted us to her house, and presented us to her husband, who
received us in the most affable manner; after which she led us to her
dressing-room, where we were combed, cleansed, and dressed by the
domestic negresses, and were most obligingly furnished with linen from
her own wardrobe, the whiteness of which was strongly contrasted with
our sable countenances. In the midst of my misfortunes my soul had
preserved all its strength; but this sudden change of situation
affected me so much, that I thought my intellectual faculties were
forsaking me. We were so confused by our agitation, that we scarcely
heard the questions which were put to us, having constantly before our
eyes the foaming waves and the immense tract of sand over which we had
p