They Seemed To Feel That They Were Doing A Very Noble Thing,
And Might Proudly March With An Air Of Triumph.
But the instant the
fellows caught a glimpse of the English, they darted off like mad
into the forest; so fast, indeed, that we caught but a glimpse of
their red caps and the soles of their feet.
The chief of the party
alone remained; and he, from being in front, had his hand tightly
grasped by a Makololo! He proved to be a well-known slave of the
late Commandant at Tette, and for some time our own attendant while
there. On asking him how he obtained these captives, he replied he
had bought them; but on our inquiring of the people themselves, all,
save four, said they had been captured in war. While this inquiry
was going on, he bolted too. The captives knelt down, and, in their
way of expressing thanks, clapped their hands with great energy.
They were thus left entirely on our hands, and knives were soon busy
at work cutting the women and children loose. It was more difficult
to cut the men adrift, as each had his neck in the fork of a stout
stick, six or seven feet long, and was kept in by an iron rod which
was riveted at both ends across the throat. With a saw, luckily in
the Bishop's baggage, one by one the men were sawn out into freedom.
The women, on being told to take the meal they were carrying and cook
breakfast for themselves and the children, seemed to consider the
news too good to be true; but after a little coaxing went at it with
alacrity, and made a capital fire by which to boil their pots with
the slave sticks and bonds, their old acquaintances through many a
sad night and weary day.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 299 of 505
Words from 80613 to 80923
of 136856
