Sphinx was at this time quite sea-sick, and the unfortunate count was driven forth like a sky-rocket, and landed upon the peak of Teneriffe, plunged over head and ears in the snow--_requiescat in pace!_ I perceived all this mischief from my seat in the ark, but was in such a convulsion of laughter that I could not utter an intelligible word.

And now Sphinx, deprived of her postillion, went on in a zigzag direction, and gambolled away after a most dreadful manner.

And thus had everything gone to wreck, had I not given instant orders to Gog and Magog to sally forth.

They plunged into the water, and swimming on each side, got at length right before the animal, and then seized the reins.

Thus they continued swimming on each side, like tritons, holding the muzzle of Sphinx, while I, sallying forth astride upon the creature's back, steered forward on our voyage to the Cape of Good Hope.
Arriving at the Cape, I immediately gave orders to repair my former chariot and machines, which were very expeditiously performed by the excellent artists I had brought with me from Europe.