Perils and Captivity

CHAPTER V.. Departure of the Boats--They Seem Desirous of

Departure of the Boats--They seem desirous of towing the Raft--Generous Conduct of a Naval Officer--The Abandonment of the Raft--Despair of the Wretches who are left to the fury of the Waves--Reproaches of M. Picard to the Authors of the Abandoning the Raft--Description of the Small Fleet which the Boats formed--Frightful Fate, and Deplorable End of the greater part of the Individuals on the Raft 48

CHAPTER VI.. The Chiefs of the Expedition Order the Boats to

The Chiefs of the Expedition order the Boats to take the Route for Senegal--Objections of some Generous Officers--The Shores of the Desert of Sahara are discovered--The Sailors of the Pinnace are desirous of Landing--The Boat in which the Picard Family is leaks much--Unheard-of Sufferings--Terrible Situation of the Family--Frightful Tempest--Despair of the Passengers 58

CHAPTER VII.. After the Frightful Tempest, the Boat, in Which

After the Frightful Tempest, the Boat, in which are the Picard Family, is still desirous of taking the Route to Senegal--Cruel Alternative to which the Passengers are Driven--It is at last decided to Gain the Coast--Description of the Landing--The Transports of the shipwrecked 65

CHAPTER VIII.. The Shipwrecked Party Form Themselves Into a

The shipwrecked Party form themselves into a Caravan to go by Land to Senegal--They find Water in the Desert--Some People of the Caravan propose to Abandon the Picard Family--Generous Conduct of an Old Officer of Infantry--Discovery of an Oasis of Wild Purslain--First Repast of the Caravan in the Desert--They Fall in with a Small Camp of Arabs--M. Picard purchases Two Kids--The Moors offer their Services to them--Arrival at last at the Great Camp of the Moors--M. Picard is recognised by an Arab--Generous Proceeding of that Arab--Sudden Departure of the Caravan--They hire Asses 71

CHAPTER IX.. The Caravan Regains the Shore--a Sail Is

The Caravan regains the Shore--A Sail is discovered--It brings Assistance to the Caravan--Great Generosity of an Englishman--Continuation of their Journey--Extraordinary Heat--They Kill a Bullock--Repast of the Caravan--At last they discover the River Senegal--Joy of the Unfortunate--M. Picard receives Assistance from some Old Friends at Senegal--Hospitality of the Inhabitants of the Island of St Louis towards every Person of the Caravan 83

CHAPTER X.. The English Refuse to Cede the Colony of Senegal

The English refuse to cede the Colony of Senegal to the French--The whole of the French Expedition are obliged to go and encamp on the Peninsula of Cape Verd--The Picard Family obtain leave of the English Governor to remain at Senegal--Poverty of that Family--Assistance which they receive--Enterprise of M. Picard--Restoration of the Colony to the French--Description of Senegal and its Environs 98

CHAPTER XI.. The Sickness and Death of Madame Picard Break in

The Sickness and Death of Madame Picard break in upon the Happiness of the Family--M. Picard turns his Views to Commerce--Bad Success of his Enterprise--The Distracted Affairs of the Colony disgust Him--The Cultivation of the Island of Safal--Several Merchants protest against M. Picard applying himself to Commerce--Departure of the Expedition to the Island of Galam--M. Picard is deprived of his Employment as Attorney--His eldest Daughter goes to live in the Island of Safal with two of her Brothers 112

CHAPTER XII.. Miss Picard Lives in the Island of Safal--Her

Miss Picard lives in the Island of Safal--Her Manner of living--Sufferings she endured--She gathers Flowers which contain a deleterious Poison--Her two Brothers fall Sick--They are conveyed to Senegal--Miss Picard, overcome with Melancholy, also falls Sick--State in which she is found--A Negro boils for her an old Vulture--Return of Miss Picard to Senegal--Her Convalescence--Her Return to the Island of Safal--M. Picard goes there to Live with all his Family--Description of the Furniture of the African Cottage--Country Life--Comfort of their Fireside--Walks of the Family--Little Pleasures which they enjoy 120

CHAPTER XIII.. Fresh Misfortunes--Desertion of the Working

Fresh Misfortunes--Desertion of the Working Negroes--Return of M. Schmaltz to Senegal--Hope Destroyed--Governor Schmaltz refuses all kind of Assistance to the Picard Family--Tigers Devour the Household Dog--Terror of Miss Picard--Bad Harvest--Cruel Prospect of the Family--Increase of Misfortunes--Some generous Persons offer Assistance to M. Picard 131

CHAPTER XIV.. The Picard Family, Tormented by the Musquitoes,

The Picard Family, tormented by the Musquitoes, the Serpents, and Tigers, determine to remove their Cottage to the Banks of the River--The Poultry is discovered by the wild Beasts--Miserable Existence of that Family--Humiliations which it suffered--Their Cottage is overturned by a Tempest--The labouring Negroes form a Scheme to desert 140

CHAPTER XV.. The Colony of Senegal At War with the Moors--the

The Colony of Senegal at War with the Moors--The Picard Family obliged to abandon the Island of Safal--They go to find a Home at St Louis--M. Picard hires an Apartment for his Family and returns to Safal with the eldest of his Sons--The whole unfortunate Family fall sick--Return of M. Picard to Senegal--Death of young Laura--He wishes to return to his Island--The Children oppose it--He falls dangerously ill--The worthy People of the Colony are indignant at the Governor for the State of Misery in which he has left the Picard Family 150

CHAPTER XVI.. M. Dard, Whom Contrary Winds Had Detained Ten Days

M. Dard, whom contrary Winds had detained ten Days in the Port of St. Louis, comes on Shore to see M. Picard--Agony of M. Picard--His last Words--His Death--Despair of his Children--M. Thomas kindly takes charge of Picard's Family--The eldest of the Ladies goes and mourns over the Grave of her Father--Her Resignation--M. Dard disembarks, and adopts the Wrecks of the Picard Family--M. Dard marries Miss Picard, and at last returns to France 159

APPENDIX.

Substance abridged from MM. Correard and Savigny, of what took place on the Raft during thirteen days before the Sufferers were taken up by the Argus Brig 169

Notes 193

II. NARRATIVE OF THE CAPTIVITY OF M. DE BRISSON IN THE DESERTS OF AFRICA 199

III. VOYAGE OF MAD. GODIN ALONG THE RIVER OF THE AMAZONS 307

HISTORY OF THE SUFFERINGS AND MISFORTUNES OF THE PICARD FAMILY, AFTER THE SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA, ON THE WESTERN COAST OF AFRICA, IN THE YEAR 1816.

FROM THE FRENCH OF MADAME DARD, ONE OF THE SUFFERERS.

BY P. MAXWELL, ESQ.

THIS TRANSLATION OF MADAME DARD'S NARRATIVE OF HER SHIPWRECK AND MISFORTUNES, IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED TO MISS AGNES MALCOLM, BY HER AFFECTIONATE AND GRATEFUL COUSIN, THE TRANSLATOR.

TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE.

The following pages are translated from the "African Cottage," of Mad. Dard. They contain no romance, but a well authenticated story, corroborated by the previous Narrative of MM. Correard and Savigny. Those gentlemen have detailed their sufferings on the fatal raft, after the disastrous shipwreck of the Medusa frigate; but the account concerning those who escaped, by aid of their boats, to the shores of Sahara, deficient in their recital, is supplied by Madame Dard, who was present at all the scenes she relates. Interwoven with the Narrative, is an interesting account of the Picard Family, whose wrongs cannot fail to excite pity, and to engage those feeling hearts in her favour, to whom the fair authoress has addressed the story of her misfortunes.

There is not, on the records of misery, an instance of more severe and protracted suffering; and I trust there is not, nor ever will be any, where human nature was more foully outraged and disgraced. There are, nevertheless, some pleasing traits of character in the story, and, I am proud to say, some of the brightest of them belong to our own nation. These present a beautiful relief to the selfishness and brutality which so much abound in the dark picture; and are, to our minds, the green spots of the Desert--the fountain and the fruit-tree--as they were in very truth, to the poor wretches they assisted with such genuine singleness of heart.

To the end of the Narrative I have subjoined an Appendix, translated and abridged from the work of MM. Correard and Savigny, detailing at greater length the sufferings of those who were exposed upon the Raft. I have also added some Notes, extracted from several Authors, illustrative of various matters mentioned in the course of the Narrative.

It may be satisfactory for some readers to know, that, in 1824, Madame Dard was living with her husband in comfort at Bligny-sous-Beaune, a short distance from Dijon. I have lately seen in a French Catalogue, a Dictionary and Grammar of the Woloff and Bambara languages, by M. J. Dard, Bachelier des Sciences, Ancien Instituteur de l'Ecole du Senegal, brought out under the auspices of the French Government.

PATRICK MAXWELL. Edinburgh, July 1827.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE.

Those who have read the Account of the Shipwreck of the Medusa, by MM. Savigny and Correard, are already acquainted with the Picard family.

Attracted to Senegal by a faint prospect of advantage, my father, head of that unfortunate family, could not, in spite of a good constitution and the strength of his spirits, resist that destiny, from the mortal influence of which none of us save three escaped out of a family of nine. On his deathbed, he expressed to me the desire that our misfortunes should not remain unknown. This then became my duty, and a duty sacred to the public. I feel a pleasure in fulfilling it, and consolation in the thought, that no feeling mind will read the story of our misfortunes without being affected; and that those who persecuted us will at least experience some regret.

The recital of the shipwreck of the Medusa was necessary, as much to explain the origin of our misfortunes, as the cause of the connexion between that disastrous event, and the terrible journey in the Desert of Sahara, by which we at last reached Senegal. It will furnish me, also, with an opportunity of adverting to some errors in the work of Messrs Savigny and Correard.

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