Sekwebu Was Picking Up English, And Becoming
A Favorite With Both Men And Officers.
He seemed a little bewildered,
every thing on board a man-of-war being so new and strange;
but
He remarked to me several times, "Your countrymen are very agreeable,"
and, "What a strange country this is - all water together!"
He also said that he now understood why I used the sextant.
When we reached the Mauritius a steamer came out to tow us into the harbor.
The constant strain on his untutored mind seemed now to reach a climax,
for during the night he became insane. I thought at first
that he was intoxicated. He had descended into a boat,
and, when I attempted to go down and bring him into the ship,
he ran to the stern and said, "No! no! it is enough that I die alone.
You must not perish; if you come, I shall throw myself into the water."
Perceiving that his mind was affected, I said, "Now, Sekwebu,
we are going to Ma Robert." This struck a chord in his bosom, and he said,
"Oh yes; where is she, and where is Robert?" and he seemed to recover.
The officers proposed to secure him by putting him in irons;
but, being a gentleman in his own country, I objected,
knowing that the insane often retain an impression of ill treatment,
and I could not bear to have it said in Sekeletu's country
that I had chained one of his principal men as they had seen slaves treated.
I tried to get him on shore by day, but he refused.
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