About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we were alarmed by the
sentinels, who brought information that Daisy was on his march towards
Jarra, and that the confederate army had fled before him without firing a
gun.
The terror of the townspeople on this occasion is not easily to be
described. - Indeed, the screams of the women and children, and the great
hurry and confusion that everywhere prevailed, made me suspect that the
Kaartans had already entered the town; and although I had every reason to
be pleased with Daisy's behaviour to me when I was at Kemmoo, I had no
wish to expose myself to the mercy of his army, who might, in the general
confusion, mistake me for a Moor. I therefore mounted my horse, and
taking a large bag of corn before me, rode slowly along with the
townspeople, until we reached the foot of a rocky hill, where I
dismounted, and drove my horse up before me. When I had reached the
summit I sat down, and having a full view of the town, and the
neighbouring country, could not help lamenting the situation of the poor
inhabitants, who were thronging after me, driving their sheep, cows,
goats, &c. and carrying a scanty portion of provisions, and a few
clothes. There was a great noise and crying everywhere upon the road; for
many aged people and children were unable to walk, and these, with the
sick, were obliged to be carried, otherwise they must have been left to
certain destruction.
About five o'clock we arrived at a small farm, belonging to the Jarra
people, called Kadeeja; and here I found Daman and Johnson employed in
filling large bags of corn, to be carried upon bullocks, to serve as
provisions for Daman's family on the road.
June 28th. At daybreak, we departed from Kadeeja; and, having passed
Troomgoomba, without stopping, arrived in the afternoon at Queira. I
remained here two days, in order to recruit my horse, which the Moors had
reduced to a perfect Rosinante, and to wait for the arrival of some
Mandingo Negroes, who were going for Bambarra in the course of a few
days.
On the afternoon of the 1st of July, as I was tending my horse in the
fields, Ali's chief slave and four Moors arrived at Queira, and took up
their lodging at the Dooty's house. My interpreter, Johnson, who
suspected the nature of this visit, sent two boys to overhear their
conversation; from which he learned that they were sent to convey me back
to Bubaker. The same evening, two of the Moors came privately to look at
my horse, and one of them proposed taking it to the Dooty's hut; but the
other observed that such a precaution was unnecessary, as I could never
escape upon such an animal. They then inquired where I slept, and
returned to their companions.
All this was like a stroke of thunder to me, for I dreaded nothing so
much as confinement again among the Moors, from whose barbarity I had
nothing but death to expect.
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