I Saw Nothing Like This
In Any Other Part Of Africa.
Near the town are several smelting furnaces,
from which the natives obtain very good iron.
They afterwards hammer the
metal into small bars, about a foot in length and two inches in breadth,
one of which bars is sufficient to make two Mandingo corn hoes. On the
morning after our arrival, we were visited by a Slatee of this place, who
informed Karfa, that among some slaves he had lately purchased, was a
native of Foota Jalla; and as that country was at no great distance, he
could not safely employ him in the labours of the field, lest he should
effect his escape. The Slatee was therefore desirous of exchanging this
slave for one of Karfa's, and offered some cloth and shea-butter, to
induce Karfa to comply with the proposal, which was accepted. The Slatee
thereupon sent a boy to order the slave in question to bring him a few
ground nuts. The poor creature soon afterwards entered the court in which
we were sitting, having no suspicion of what was negociating, until the
master caused the gate to be shut, and told him to sit down. The slave
now saw his danger, and perceiving the gate to be shut upon him, threw
down the nuts, and jumped over the fence. He was immediately pursued and
overtaken by the Slatees, who brought him back, and secured him in irons,
after which one of Karfa's slaves was released and delivered in exchange.
The unfortunate captive was at first very much dejected, but in the
course of a few days his melancholy gradually subsided; and he became at
length as cheerful as any of his companions.
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