Before we thought of landing I had undressed myself, in order to dry my clothes; I might have put them on again, but the resolution to land having been taken, I thought that without clothes, I should be more able to swim in case of need.  Mr. de Chasteluz could not swim:  he fastened a rope round his middle, of which I took one end, and by means of which, I was to draw him to me as soon as I got on shore.  When the boat sunk I threw myself into the water, I was very glad that I touched the bottom, for I was uneasy about my comrade.  I returned to the boat to look for my clothes and my sword.  A part of them had been already stolen, I found only my coat and one of the two pair of pantaloons which I had with me.  A negro offered to sell me an old pair of shoes for eight francs, for I wanted a pair of shoes to walk in.

The sailors had saved the barrel of water; and as soon as we were on shore they fought for the drinking of it.  I rushed in among them, and made my way to him who had got the barrel at his mouth.  I snatched it from him and contrived to swallow two mouthfuls, the barrel was afterwards taken from me, but these two mouthfuls did me as much good as two bottles; but for them I could not have lived longer than a few hours.

Thus I found myself on the coast of Africa wet to the skin, with nothing in my pockets except a few biscuits, steeped in salt water, to support me for several days:  without water, amidst a sandy desert inhabited by a ferocious race of men:  thus we had left one danger to plunge into a greater.

We resolved to proceed along the sea coast, because the breeze cooled us a little, and besides the moist sand was softer than the fine moveable sand in the interior.  Before we proceeded on our march, we waited for the crew of the other boat which had stranded before us.

We had proceeded about half an hour, when we perceived another boat advancing with full sail, and came with such violence on the beach that it stranded:  it contained all the family of Mr. Picard, consisting of himself and his wife, three daughters grown up, and four young children, one of whom was at the breast.  I threw myself into the sea to assist this unhappy family; I contributed to get Mr. Picard on shore, every body was saved.  I went to look for my clothes, but could not find them; I fell into a violent passion, and expressed in strong terms, the infamy of stealing in such circumstances.  I was reduced to my shirt and my trowsers.  I know not whether my cries, and my complaints, excited remorse in the robber, but I found my coat and pantaloons again, a little further off upon the sand. (B)

[B10] XX.—­March in the Desert and Arrival at St. Louis.

We proceeded on our journey for the rest of the day on the 8th of July; many of us were overcome by thirst.  Many with haggard eyes awaited only death.  We dug in the sand, but found only water more salt than that of the sea.