suddenly, and canted our barge on one side: here she filled, and I saw
no more of her for some time. Fortunately we all saved ourselves (six
men and two boys) by clinging to the tree, the boughs of which were
equal to our weight, though not to that of the barge: in this situation
we continued six weeks and three days, living upon the almonds; I need
not inform you we had plenty of water. On the forty-second day of
our distress the water fell as rapidly as it had risen, and on the
forty-sixth we were able to venture down upon _terra firma_. Our barge
was the first pleasing object we saw, about two hundred yards from the
spot where she sunk. After drying everything that was useful by the heat
of the sun, and loading ourselves with necessaries from the stores on
board, we set out to recover our lost ground, and found, by the nearest
calculation, we had been carried over garden-walls, and a variety of
enclosures, above one hundred and fifty miles. In four days, after a
very tiresome journey on foot, with thin shoes, we reached the river,
which was now confined to its banks, related our adventures to a boy,
who kindly accommodated all our wants, and sent us forward in a barge
of his own. In six days more we arrived at Alexandria, where we
took shipping for Constantinople. I was received kindly by the Grand
Seignior, and had the honour of seeing the Seraglio, to which his
highness introduced me himself.



CHAPTER X

_Pays a visit during the siege of Gibraltar to his old friend General
Elliot--Sinks a Spanish man-of-war--Wakes an old woman on the African
coast--Destroys all the enemy's cannon; frightens the Count d'Artois,
and sends him to Paris--Saves the lives of two English spies with the