A voyage to Senegal : $b or, Historical, philosophical, and political memoirs, relative to the discoveries, establishments and commerce of Europeans in the Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Blanco to the river of Sierra LeoneDurand, Jean Baptiste Léonard
History
A voyage to Senegal : $b or, Historical, philosophical, and political memoirs, relative to the discoveries, establishments and commerce of Europeans in the Atlantic Ocean, from Cape Blanco to the river of Sierra Leone
Durand, Jean Baptiste Léonard
Africa, Northwest; Senegal -- Description and travel
During this barbarous transaction, M. de Brisson perceived a Moor
unarmed, and from his costume, he recognised him to be one of those
who had accompanied the king Alikouri on a visit which he paid him
at isle St. Louis. He therefore ran and threw himself at his feet,
as did M. Devoize, the second officer of the ship, and five of
the crew who had not left him: but they soon perceived that they
were as unfortunate as their companions; for the Moor received them
with contempt. He asked M. de Brisson in a severe tone, who he was,
from whence he came, and what brought them all there? This officer
answered by drawing on the sand the form of a ship, and by means
of expressive gestures, with the assistance of a few Arabic words,
which he had learned at isle St. Louis, he made him understand that
they had been shipwrecked, and begged his assistance to conduct
them to their destination; adding, that he possessed the means
of rewarding him for his trouble. This last remark was perfectly
understood, and gave great pleasure to the Moor, who immediately
composed his features, and placed his fingers between those of M. de
Brisson, as a testimony that they were friends, and would be always
united. He demanded the effects of which M. de Brisson had spoken,
and received two watches, one of them a repeater; two chains, a gold
stock-buckle, two pair of silver shoe-buckles, a brilliant ring, a
silver goblet and cover, and 220 livres in specie. The money gave him
more pleasure than all the other articles; he secreted the treasure
very mysteriously in his blue shirt, and promised M. de Brisson
that he would never abandon him. The surrender of this property had
induced our countryman to think that he should gain the kindness of
those into whose hands he had fallen; but it proved to him a source
of the greatest misfortune. The Moor then asked M. de Brisson, at
what part he had been shipwrecked; and on being informed, he called
several of his fellows, and made a sign to them to follow him. By
the manner in which they approached, M. de Brisson perceived that
his protector was a man of some consideration; and he afterwards
learned that he was one of the priests, whom they called a Talba.
On reaching the sea-shore they shouted with joy; but their eagerness
for plunder soon set them at variance. Several of them swam off
to the remains of the wreck in order to get what they could, while
those who remained behind were afraid that they should not obtain
their share: the women, in particular, became quite outrageous.
The news of this shipwreck becoming known in the country, the
savages ran towards the shore in great numbers; and their disputes
about the plunder attained such a height that several lives were
lost. The women, enraged at not being able to get to the ship, fell
upon the unfortunate Frenchmen, and partly stripped them naked,
disputing all the time who should possess the clothes of M. de
Brisson, which were better than the rest.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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