They Instantly
Went Off; But Another Who Came On Me More Boldly, Just As I Was
Endeavouring To Mount, Received
The contents somewhere in his left
shoulder, and again I was enabled to place my foot in the stirrup.
Remounted,
I again pushed my retreat; I had not, however, proceeded many
hundred yards, when my horse again came down with such violence as to
throw me against a tree at a considerable distance; and alarmed at the
horses behind him, he quickly got up and escaped, leaving me on foot and
unarmed.
"The eunuch and his four followers were here butchered, after a very
slight resistance, and stripped within a few yards of me: their cries
were dreadful; and even now, the feelings of that moment are fresh in my
memory. My hopes of life were too faint to deserve the name. I was almost
instantly surrounded, and incapable of making the least resistance, as I
was unarmed, was as speedily stript; and whilst attempting first to save
my shirt and then my trowsers, I was thrown on the ground. My pursuers
made several thrusts at me with their spears, that badly wounded my hands
in two places, and slightly my body, just under my ribs, on the right
side. Indeed, I saw nothing before me but the same cruel death I had seen
unmercifully inflicted on the few who had fallen into the power of those
who now had possession of me; and they were only prevented from murdering
me, in the first instance, I am persuaded, by the fear of injuring the
value of my clothes, which appeared to them a rich booty, - but it was
otherwise ordained.
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