If I
Wished To Follow This Route He Would Appoint People To Conduct Me To
Jarra, The Frontier Town Of Ludamar.
He then inquired very
particularly how I had been treated since I had left the Gambia, and
asked, in a jocular way, how many slaves I expected to carry home
with me on my return.
He was about to proceed when a man mounted on
a fine Moorish horse, which was covered with sweat and foam, entered
the court, and signifying that he had something of importance to
communicate, the king immediately took up his sandals, which is the
signal to strangers to retire. I accordingly took leave, but
desired my boy to stay about the place, in order to learn something
of the intelligence that this messenger had brought. In about an
hour the boy returned, and informed me that the Bambarra army had
left Fooladoo, and was on its march towards Kaarta; that the man I
had seen, who had brought this intelligence, was one of the scouts,
or watchmen, employed by the king, each of whom has his particular
station (commonly on some rising ground) from whence he has the best
view of the country, and watches the motions of the enemy.
February 13. - At daylight I sent my horse-pistols and holsters as a
present to the king, and being very desirous to get away from a
place which was likely soon to become the seat of war, I begged the
messenger to inform the king that I wished to depart from Kemmoo as
soon as he should find it convenient to appoint me a guide. In
about an hour the king sent his messenger to thank me for the
present, and eight horsemen to conduct me to Jarra. They told me
that the king wished me to proceed to Jarra with all possible
expedition, that they might return before anything decisive should
happen between the armies of Bambarra need Kaarta. We accordingly
departed forthwith from Kemmoo, accompanied by three of Daisy's
sons, and about two hundred horsemen, who kindly undertook to see me
a little way on my journey.
CHAPTER VIII - ADVENTURES BETWEEN KEMMOO AND JARRA
On the evening of the day of our departure from Kemmoo (the king's
eldest son and great part of the horsemen having returned) we
reached a village called Marina, where we slept. During the night
some thieves broke into the hut where I had deposited my baggage,
and having cut open one of my bundles, stole a quantity of beads,
part of my clothes, and some amber and gold, which happened to be in
one of the pockets. I complained to my protectors, but without
effect. The next day (February 14th) was far advanced before we
departed from Marina, and we travelled slowly, on account of the
excessive heat, until four o'clock in the afternoon, when two
negroes were observed sitting among some thorny bushes, at a little
distance from the road. The king's people, taking it for granted
that they were runaway slaves, cocked their muskets, and rode at
full speed in different directions through the bushes, in order to
surround them, and prevent their escaping.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 44 of 88
Words from 22413 to 22941
of 45803
