I Mounted The Roof Of The Hut, And Observed A Large Herd Of
Bullocks Coming Towards The Town, Followed By Five Moors On
Horseback, Who Drove The Cattle Forward With Their Muskets.
When
they had reached the wells which are close to the town, the Moors
selected from the herd sixteen of the finest beasts, and drove them
off at full cell gallop.
During this transaction the townspeople,
to the number of five hundred, stood collected close to the walls of
the town; and when the Moors drove the cattle away, though they
passed within pistol-shot of them, the inhabitants scarcely made a
show of resistance. I only saw four muskets fired, which, being
loaded with gunpowder of the negroes' own manufacture, did no
execution. Shortly after this I observed a number of people
supporting a young man on horseback, and conducting him slowly
towards the town. This was one of the herdsmen, who, attempting to
throw his spear, had been wounded by a shot from one of the Moors.
His mother walked on before, quite frantic with grief, clapping her
hands, and enumerating the good qualities of her son. "Ee maffo
fenio!" ("He never told a lie!") said the disconsolate mother as
her wounded son was carried in at the gate - "Ee maffo fonio abada!"
("He never told a lie; no, never!") When they had conveyed him to
his hut, and laid him upon a mat, all the spectators joined in
lamenting his fate, by screaming and howling in the most piteous
manner.
After their grief had subsided a little, I was desired to examine
the wound. I found that the ball had passed quite through his leg,
having fractured both bones a little below the knee: the poor boy
was faint from the loss of blood, and his situation withal so very
precarious, that I could not console his relations with any great
hopes of his recovery. However, to give him a possible chance, I
observed to them that it was necessary to cut off his leg above the
knee. This proposal made every one start with horror; they had
never heard of such a method of cure, and would by no means give
their consent to it; indeed, they evidently considered me a sort of
cannibal for proposing so cruel and unheard-of an operation, which,
in their opinion, would be attended with more pain and danger than
the wound itself. The patient was therefore committed to the care
of some old bashreens, who endeavoured to secure him a passage into
paradise by whispering in his ear some Arabic sentences, and
desiring him to repeat them. After many unsuccessful attempts, the
poor heathen at last pronounced, "La illah el Allah, Mahamet rasowl
allahi" ("There is but one God, and Mohammed is his Prophet"); and
the disciples of the Prophet assured his mother that her son had
given sufficient evidence of his faith, and would be happy in a
future state. He died the same evening.
February 17.
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