Karfa, However, Perceiving That I Could Read This
Book, Had No Doubt Concerning Me; And Kindly Promised Me Every Assistance
In His Power.
At the same time he informed me, that it was impossible to
cross the Jallonka wilderness for many months yet to come, as no less
than eight rapid rivers, he said, lay in the way.
He added, that he
intended to set out himself for Gambia as soon as the rivers were
fordable, and the grass burnt; and advised me to stay and accompany him.
He remarked, that when a caravan of the natives could not travel through
the country, it was idle for a single white man to attempt it. I readily
admitted that such an attempt was an act of rashness, but I assured him
that I had now no alternative; for having no money to support myself, I
must either beg my subsistence, by travelling from place to place, or
perish for want. Karfa now looked at me with great earnestness, and
inquired if I could eat the common victuals of the country, assuring me
he had never before seen a white man. He added, that if I would remain
with him until the rains were over, he would give me plenty of victuals
in the meantime, and a hut to sleep in; and that after he had conducted
me in safety to the Gambia, I might then make him what return I thought
proper. I asked him if the value of one prime slave would satisfy him. He
answered in the affirmative, and immediately ordered one of the huts to
be swept for my accomodation. Thus was I delivered, by the friendly care
of this benevolent Negro, from a situation truly deplorable. Distress and
famine pressed hard upon me. I had, before me, the gloomy wilds of
Jallonkadoo, where the traveller sees no habitation for five successive
days. I had observed at a distance the rapid course of the river Kokoro.
I had almost marked out the place where I was doomed, I thought, to
perish, when this friendly Negro stretched out his hospitable hand for my
relief.
In the hut which was appropriated for me, I was provided with a mat to
sleep on, an earthen jar for holding water, and a small calabash to drink
out of; and Karfa sent me from his own dwelling two meals a day; and
ordered his slaves to supply me with firewood and water. But I found that
neither the kindness of Karfa, nor any sort of accomodation, could put a
stop to the fever which weakened me, and which became every day more
alarming. I endeavoured as much as possible to conceal my distress; but
on the third day after my arrival, as I was going with Karfa to visit
some of his friends, I found myself so faint that I could scarcely walk,
and before we reached the place, I staggered, and fell into a pit from
which the clay had been taken to build one of the huts. Karfa endeavoured
to console me with the hopes of a speedy recovery; assuring me, that if I
would not walk out in the wet, I should soon be well. I determined to
follow his advice and confine myself to my hut; but was still tormented
with the fever, and my health continued to be in a very precarious state
for five ensuing weeks. Sometimes I could crawl out of the hut, and sit a
few hours in the open air; at other times I was unable to rise, and
passed the lingering hours in a very gloomy and solitary manner. I was
seldom visited by any person except my benevolent landlord, who came
daily to inquire after my health. When the rains became less frequent and
the country began to grow dry, the fever left me; but in so debilitated
condition, that I could scarcely stand upright, and it was with great
difficulty that I could carry my mat to the shade of a tamarind tree, at
a short distance, to enjoy the refreshing smell of the corn-fields, and
delight my eyes with a prospect of the country. I had the pleasure, at
length, to find myself in a state of convalescence: towards which the
benevolent and simple manners of the Negroes, and the perusal of Karfa's
little volume, greatly contributed.
In the meantime, many of the slatees who resided at Kamalia, having spent
all their money, and become in a great measure dependent upon Karfa's
hospitality, beheld me with an eye of envy, and invented many ridiculous
and trifling stories to lessen me in Karfa's esteem; and in the beginning
of December, a Sera-Woolli slatee, with five slaves, arrived from Sego.
This man, too, spread a number of malicious reports concerning me; but
Karfa paid no attention to them, and continued to show me the same
kindness as formerly. As I was one day conversing with the slaves which
this slatee had brought, one of them begged me to give him some victuals.
I told him I was a stranger, and had none to give. He replied, "I gave
_you_ victuals when you was hungry. - Have you forgot the man who brought
you milk at Karrankalla? But (added he, with a sigh) _the irons were not
then upon my legs!_" I immediately recollected him, and begged some
ground nuts from Karfa to give him as a return for his former kindness.
He told me that he had been taken by the Bambarrans, the day after the
battle at Joka, and sent to Sego, where he had been purchased by his
present master, who was carrying him down to Kajaaga. Three more of these
slaves were from Kaarta, and one from Wassela, all of them prisoners of
war. They stopped four days at Kamalia, and were then taken to Bala,
where they remained until the river Kokoro was fordable, and the grass
burnt.
In the beginning of December Karfa proposed to complete his purchase of
slaves; and for this purpose, collected all the debts which were owing to
him in his own country; and on the 19th, being accompanied by three
slatees, he departed for Kancaba, a large town on the banks of the Niger,
and a great slave-market.
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