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.
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