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National park of the Bench of Arguin
National park of the bench of Arguin
If there are many islands on this coast, that of
Arguin is the only one to have fresh water, in a sump open on the rock
plate.
As of the end of prehistory, the man settles in the
island where one finds traces Neolithic. Portuguese creates
there an establishment in XVe century semi-fortress, semi-foreign
post. They are driven out in 1633 by the Dutchmen of
"Westindishe Co", driven out in their turn by the French of Ducasse in
1678. In 1685, Frederic Guillaume Ier de Brandebourg, conquers
the place, wanting in his turn to create a small colonial field, with
a powerful castle with Ghana and the poor place of Arguin. But
its successors yield these counters to the Dutchmen, in 1717.
The trade of gum having acquired a great importance for
European industry, France will settle of sharp force with Arguin,
after the campaigns of 1721, 1723, 1724. But in 1728, it will
be the final abandonment. To maintain a garrison with Arguin is
definitely too expensive, and the trade of gum moves more in the
south. |
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The bench of Arguin does not hold the attention then than by
the shipwrecks only it can cause: July 2, 1816, the frigate the
Jellyfish, which used charts of 1753, whose errors could reach a
hundred kilometers, failed itself in four to five meters of water, to
50 km of the coast and, for roof of bad luck to high tide. 146
men (and a woman) take refuge on a dreadful floating raft between two
water, and on board of which there were neither food nor fresh water.
Géricault, with the raft of the Jellyfish immortalisa this
fact various celebrates, dramatic illustration of the myth of the raft
where one entretue, or one between-eats oneself: at the end of
13 days, the brig Argus will find only 15 survivors, of which 5 still
will die. |
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