Such Was My Situation, When, On The Evening Of The 24th Of June, I Was
Startled By The Report Of Some Muskets Close To The Town, And Inquiring
The Reason, Was Informed That The Jarra Army Had Returned From Fighting
Daisy, And That This Firing Was By Way Of Rejoicing.
However, when the
chief men of the town had assembled, and heard a full detail of the
expedition, they were by no means relieved from their uneasiness on
Daisy's account.
The deceitful Moors having drawn back from the
confederacy, after being hired by the Negroes, greatly dispirited the
insurgents, who, instead of finding Daisy with a few friends concealed in
the strong fortress of Gedingooma, had found him at a town near Joka, in
the open country, surrounded by so numerous an army, that every attempt
to attack him was at once given up; and the confederates only thought of
enriching themselves, by the plunder of the small towns in the
neighbourhood. They accordingly fell upon one of Daisy's towns, and
carried off the whole of the inhabitants; but, lest intelligence of this
might reach Daisy, and induce him to cut off their retreat, they returned
through the woods by night, bringing with them the slaves and cattle
which they had captured.
June 26th. This afternoon, a spy from Kaarta brought the alarming
intelligence, that Daisy had taken Simbing in the morning, and would be
in Jarra some time in the course of the ensuing day. A number of the
people were immediately stationed on the tops of the rocks, and in the
different passages leading into the town, to give early intelligence of
Daisy's motions, and the women set about making the necessary
preparations for quitting the town as soon as possible. They continued
beating corn, and packing up different articles, during the night; and
early in the morning, nearly one half of the townspeople took the road
for Bambarra, by the Way of Deena.
Their departure was very affecting; the women and children crying; the
men sullen and dejected; and all of them looking back with regret on
their native town, and on the wells and rocks, beyond which their
ambition had never tempted them to stray, and where they had laid all
their plans of future happiness; all of which they were now forced to
abandon, and to seek shelter among strangers.
June 27th. About eleven o'clock in the forenoon, we were alarmed by the
sentinels, who brought information that Daisy was on his march towards
Jarra, and that the confederate army had fled before him without firing a
gun. The terror of the townspeople on this occasion is not easily to be
described. - Indeed, the screams of the women and children, and the great
hurry and confusion that everywhere prevailed, made me suspect that the
Kaartans had already entered the town; and although I had every reason to
be pleased with Daisy's behaviour to me when I was at Kemmoo, I had no
wish to expose myself to the mercy of his army, who might, in the general
confusion, mistake me for a Moor. I therefore mounted my horse, and
taking a large bag of corn before me, rode slowly along with the
townspeople, until we reached the foot of a rocky hill, where I
dismounted, and drove my horse up before me. When I had reached the
summit I sat down, and having a full view of the town, and the
neighbouring country, could not help lamenting the situation of the poor
inhabitants, who were thronging after me, driving their sheep, cows,
goats, &c. and carrying a scanty portion of provisions, and a few
clothes. There was a great noise and crying everywhere upon the road; for
many aged people and children were unable to walk, and these, with the
sick, were obliged to be carried, otherwise they must have been left to
certain destruction.
About five o'clock we arrived at a small farm, belonging to the Jarra
people, called Kadeeja; and here I found Daman and Johnson employed in
filling large bags of corn, to be carried upon bullocks, to serve as
provisions for Daman's family on the road.
June 28th. At daybreak, we departed from Kadeeja; and, having passed
Troomgoomba, without stopping, arrived in the afternoon at Queira. I
remained here two days, in order to recruit my horse, which the Moors had
reduced to a perfect Rosinante, and to wait for the arrival of some
Mandingo Negroes, who were going for Bambarra in the course of a few
days.
On the afternoon of the 1st of July, as I was tending my horse in the
fields, Ali's chief slave and four Moors arrived at Queira, and took up
their lodging at the Dooty's house. My interpreter, Johnson, who
suspected the nature of this visit, sent two boys to overhear their
conversation; from which he learned that they were sent to convey me back
to Bubaker. The same evening, two of the Moors came privately to look at
my horse, and one of them proposed taking it to the Dooty's hut; but the
other observed that such a precaution was unnecessary, as I could never
escape upon such an animal. They then inquired where I slept, and
returned to their companions.
All this was like a stroke of thunder to me, for I dreaded nothing so
much as confinement again among the Moors, from whose barbarity I had
nothing but death to expect. I therefore determined to set off
immediately for Bambarra, a measure which I thought offered almost the
only chance of saving my life, and gaining the object of my mission; I
communicated the design to Johnson, who, although he applauded my
resolution, was so far from showing any inclination to accompany me, that
he solemnly protested he would rather forfeit his wages than go any
farther. He told me that Daman had agreed to give him half the price of a
slave for his service, to assist in conducting a coffle of slaves to
Gambia, and that he was determined to embrace the opportunity of
returning to his wife and family.
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