His Victuals Were Served Up
In Pewter Dishes, And Even His Houses Were Built After The Fashion Of The
English Houses On The Gambia.
May 13th.
In the morning, as we were preparing to depart, a coffle of
slaves, belonging to some Serawoolli traders, crossed the river, and
agreed to proceed with us to Baniserile, the capital of Dentila; a very
long day's journey from this place. We accordingly set out together, and
travelled with great expedition through the woods until noon; when one of
the Serawoolli slaves dropt the load from his head, for which he was
smartly whipped. The load was replaced; but he had not proceeded above a
mile before he let it fall a second time, for which he received the same
punishment. After this he travelled in great pain until about two
o'clock, when we stopt to breathe a little, by a pool of water, the day
being remarkably hot. The poor slave was now so completely exhausted that
his master was obliged to release him from the rope, for he lay
motionless on the ground. A Serawoolli therefore undertook to remain with
him, and endeavour to bring him to the town during the cool of the night;
in the meanwhile we continued our route, and after a very hard day's
travel, arrived at Baniserile late in the evening.
One of our Slatees was a native of this place, from which he had been
absent three years. This man invited me to go with him to his house; at
the gate of which his friends met him with many expressions of joy;
shaking hands with him, embracing him, and singing and dancing before
him. As soon as he had seated himself upon a mat by the threshold of his
door, a young woman (his intended bride) brought a little water in a
calabash, and kneeling down before him, desired him to wash his hands;
when he had done this, the girl with a tear of joy sparkling in her eyes,
drank the water; this being considered the greatest proof she could give
him of her fidelity and attachment. About eight o'clock the same evening,
the Serawoolli, who had been left in the woods to take care of the
fatigued slave, returned and told us that he was dead; the general
opinion, however, was that he himself had killed him, or left him to
perish on the road; for the Serawoollies are said to be infinitely more
cruel in their treatment of slaves than the Mandingoes. We remained at
Baniserile two days, in order to purchase native iron, shea-butter, and
some other articles for sale on the Gambia; and here the Slatee who had
invited me to his house, and who possessed three slaves, part of the
coffle, having obtained information that the price on the Coast was very
low, determined to separate from us, and remain with his slaves where he
was, until an opportunity should offer of disposing of them to advantage;
giving us to understand that he should complete his nuptials with the
young woman before mentioned, in the meantime.
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