he had guarded through all his trials. Arago was then compelled to proceed by land to Algiers, a journey of great danger, which he accomplished by disguising himself in the Turkish costume, and placing himself under the protection of a faithful priest, who guided him through the mountains and deserts which lay in their way. By the intercession of the French consul, the trunk, the contents of which was found to be of less value than was supposed, was restored. Once more Arago departed, though not without a narrow escape from being again captured by a blockading squadron. He finally landed in safety at Marseilles, having occupied eleven months in a journey which at the present time is generally accomplished in four days.
His letters sent from the Quarantine-house at Marseilles were considered by his friends and relatives as tokens of resurrection. They had in fact long before assumed him dead. A great geometer had even proposed to the Bureau of Longitude to cease to pay his allowance to his authorized representative—Arago's father. "The first letter which I received from Paris," says Arago in his "Story of my Youth," "contained testimonies of sympathy and congratulation on the termination of my laborious and perilous adventures; it was from a man already in possession of an European reputation—Mr. Humboldt." This was the commencement of the long and intimate friendship between these two men of science. Having ended his quarantine he joyfully repaired to Perpignan, where his mother had caused masses to be said for the repose of his soul, under the belief that he had long before fallen a victim to the daggers of the Spaniards. Soon afterwards he returned to Paris, and had the satisfaction of depositing safely, at the Bureau of
