- 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.
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 27. - 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 28. - At daybreak we departed from Kadeeja, and having passed
Troongoomba 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 learnt 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.
Having no hopes, therefore, of persuading him to accompany me, I
resolved to proceed by myself. About midnight I got my clothes in
readiness, which consisted of two shirts, two pairs of trousers, two
pocket-handkerchiefs, an upper and under waistcoat, a mat, and a
pair of half-boots; these, with a cloak, constituted my whole
wardrobe. And I had not one single bead, nor any other article of
value in my possession, to purchase victuals for myself or corn for
my horse.
About daybreak, Johnson, who had been listening to the Moors all
night, came and whispered to me that they were asleep. The awful
crisis was now arrived when I was again either to taste the blessing
of freedom or languish out my days in captivity. A cold sweat
moistened my forehead as I thought on the dreadful alternative, and
reflected that, one way or another, my fate must be decided in the
course of the ensuing day. But to deliberate was to lose the only
chance of escaping. So, taking up my bundle, I stepped gently over
the negroes, who were sleeping in the open air, and having mounted
my horse, I bade Johnson farewell, desiring him to take particular
care of the papers I had entrusted him with, and inform my friends
in Gambia that he had left me in good health, on my way to Bambarra.
I proceeded with great caution, surveying each bush, and frequently
listening and looking behind me for the Moorish horsemen, until I
was about a mile from the town, when I was surprised to find myself
in the neighbourhood of a korree belonging to the Moors.
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