And The Evening Before My Departure, My
Horse, With The Saddle And Bridle, Were Sent Me By Ali's Order.
Early on the morning of the 26th of May, I departed from the camp of
Bubaker, accompanied by my two attendants, Johnson and Demba, and a
number of Moors on horseback; Ali, with about fifty horsemen, having gone
privately from the camp during the night.
We stopped about noon at
Farani, and were there joined by twelve Moors riding upon camels, and
with them we proceeded to a watering-place in the woods, where we
overtook Ali with his fifty horsemen. They were lodged in some low
shepherds' tents near the wells. As the company was numerous, the tents
could scarcely accommodate us all; and I was ordered to sleep in the open
space in the centre of the tents, where every one might observe my
motions.
During the night, there was much lightning from the north-east; and about
daybreak a very heavy sand-wind commenced, which continued with great
violence until four in the afternoon. The quantity of sand which passed
to the westward in the course of this day must have been prodigiously
great. At times it was impossible to look up; and the cattle were so
tormented by the particles lodging in their ears and eyes that they ran
about like mad creatures, and I was in continual danger of being trampled
to death by them.
May 28th. Early in the morning the Moors saddled their horses, and Ali's
chief slave ordered me to get in readiness. In a little time the same
messenger returned, and taking my boy by the shoulders, told him, in the
Mandingo language, that "Ali was to be his master in future:" and then
turning to me, "the business is settled at last, (said he,) the boy, and
every thing but your horse, goes back to Bubaker; but you may take the
old fool (meaning Johnson the interpreter) with you to Jarra." I made him
no answer; but being shocked beyond description at the idea of losing the
poor boy, I hastened to Ali, who was at breakfast before his tent,
surrounded by many of his courtiers. I told him, perhaps in rather too
passionate a strain, that whatever imprudence I had been guilty of, in
coming into his country, I thought I had already been sufficiently
punished for it, by being so long detained, and then plundered of all my
little property; which, however, gave me no uneasiness, when compared
with what he had just now done to me. I observed, that the boy which he
had now seized upon was not a slave, and had been accused of no offence;
he was indeed one of my attendants; and his faithful services in that
station had procured him his freedom; his fidelity and attachment had
made him follow me into my present situation; and as he looked up to me
for protection, I could not see him deprived of his liberty, without
remonstrating against such an act, as the height of cruelty and
injustice. Ali made no reply, but with a haughty air and malignant smile,
told his interpreter, that if I did not mount my horse immediately, he
would send me back likewise. There is something in the frown of a tyrant
which rouses the most secret emotions of the heart; I could not suppress
my feelings; and for once entertained an indignant wish to rid the world
of such a monster.
Poor Demba was not less affected than myself: he had formed a strong
attachment towards me, and had a cheerfulness of disposition, which often
beguiled the tedious hours of captivity; he was likewise a proficient in
the Bambarra tongue, and promised on that account to be of great utility
to me in future. But it was in vain to expect anything favourable to
humanity from people who are strangers to its dictates. So having shaken
hands with this unfortunate boy, and blended my tears with his, assuring
him, however, that I would do my utmost to redeem him, I saw him led off
by three of Ali's slaves towards the camp at Bubaker.
When the Moors had mounted their horses, I was ordered to follow them;
and, after a toilsome journey through the woods, in a very sultry day, we
arrived in the afternoon at a walled village, called Doombani; where we
remained two days, waiting for the arrival of some horsemen from the
northward.
On the 1st of June we departed from Doombani towards Jarra. Our company
now amounted to two hundred men, all on horseback; for the Moors never
use infantry in their wars. They appeared capable of enduring great
fatigue; but from their total want of discipline our journey to Jarra was
more like a fox-chase than the march of an army.
At Jarra, I took up my lodging at the house of my old acquaintance, Daman
Jumma; and informed him of every thing that had befallen me. I
particularly requested him to use his interest with Ali to redeem my boy,
and promised him a bill upon Dr. Laidley, for the value of two slaves,
the moment he brought him to Jarra. Daman very readily undertook to
negotiate the business; but found that Ali considered the boy as my
principal interpreter, and was unwilling to part with him, lest he should
fall a second time into my hands, and be instrumental in conducting me to
Bambarra. Ali, therefore, put off the matter from day to day; but withal
told Daman, that if he wished to purchase the boy for himself, he should
have him thereafter, at the common price of a slave; which Daman agreed
to pay for him, whenever Ali should send him to Jarra.
The chief object of Ali, in this journey to Jarra, as I have already
related, was to procure money from such of the Kaartans as had taken
refuge in his country. Some of these had solicited his protection, to
avoid the horrors of war; but by far the greatest number of them were
dissatisfied men, who wished the ruin of their own sovereign.
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