If the chance of war had placed me in your situation, and you
in mine, how would you have
Treated me?" - "I would have thrust my spear
into your heart," returned Abdulkader with great firmness; "and I know
that a similar fate awaits me." - "Not so, (said Damel,) my spear is
indeed red with the blood of your subjects killed in battle, and I could
now give it a deeper stain by dipping it in your own; but this would not
build up my towns, nor bring to life the thousands who fell in the woods.
I will not therefore kill you in cold blood, but I will retain you as my
slave, until I perceive that your presence in your own kingdom will be no
longer dangerous to your neighbours; and then I will consider of the
proper way of disposing of you." Abdulkader was accordingly retained, and
worked as a slave for three months; at the end of which period, Damel
listened to the solicitations of the inhabitants of Foota Torra, and
restored to them their king. Strange as this story may appear, I have no
doubt of the truth of it: it was told me at Malacotta by the Negroes; it
was afterwards related to me by the Europeans on the Gambia; by some of
the French at Goree; and confirmed by nine slaves who were taken
prisoners along with Abdulkader, by the watering place in the woods, and
carried in the same ship with me to the West Indies.
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