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 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. Corréard 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 I. 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.[1] They contain no romance, but a well authenticated story, corroborated by the previous Narrative of MM. Corréard 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.