All These Fetters And Bolts Are Made
From Native Iron; In The Present Case They Were Put On By The Blacksmith
As Soon As The Slaves Arrived From Kancaba, And Were Not Taken Off Until
The Morning On Which The Coffle Departed For Gambia.
In other respects, the treatment of the slaves during their stay at
Kamalia was far from being harsh or cruel.
They were led out in their
fetters every morning to the shade of the tamarind tree, where they were
encouraged to play at games of hazard, and sing diverting songs, to keep
up their spirits; for though some of them sustained the hardships of
their situation with amazing fortitude, the greater part were very much
dejected, and would sit all day in a sort of sullen melancholy, with
their eyes fixed upon the ground. In the evening, their irons were
examined, and their hand fetters put on; after which they were conducted
into two large huts, where they were guarded during the night by Karfa's
domestic slaves. But notwithstanding all this, about a week after their
arrival, one of the slaves had the address to procure a small knife with
which he opened the rings of his fetters, cut the rope, and made his
escape; more of them would probably have got off, had they assisted each
other; but the slave no sooner found himself at liberty, than he refused
to stop and assist in breaking the chain which was fastened round the
necks of his companions.
As all the Slatees and slaves belonging to the coffle were now assembled,
either at Kamalia, or some of the neighbouring villages, it might have
been expected that we should have set out immediately for Gambia; but
though the day of our departure was frequently fixed, it was always found
expedient to change it. Some of the people had not prepared their dry
provisions; others had gone to visit their relations, or collect some
trifling debts; and, last of all, it was necessary to consult whether the
day would be a lucky one. On account of one of these, or other such
causes, our departure was put off, day after day, until the month of
February was far advanced; after which all the Slatees agreed to remain
in their present quarters, until the _fast moon was over_. And here I may
remark, that loss of time is an object of no great importance in the eyes
of a Negro. If he has any thing of consequence to perform, it is a matter
of indifference to him whether he does it to-day or to-morrow, or a month
or two hence; so long as he can spend the present moment with any degree
of comfort, he gives himself very little concern about the future.
The fast of Rhamadan was observed with great strictness by all the
Bushreens; but instead of compelling me to follow their example, as the
Moors did on a similar occasion, Karfa frankly told me that I was at
liberty to pursue my own inclination.
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