But as he would only stay there
a few days to keep the approaching festival (Banna selee), and then
return to Jarra, I had permission to remain with Daman until his
return. This was joyful news to me; but I had experienced so many
disappointments that I was unwilling to indulge the hope of its
being true, until Johnson came and told me that Ali, with part of
the horsemen, were actually gone from the town, and that the rest
were to follow him in the morning.
June 9. - Early in the morning the remainder of the Moors departed
from the town. They had, during their stay, committed many acts of
robbery; and this morning with the most unparalleled audacity, they
seized upon three girls who were bringing water from the wells, and
carried them away into slavery.
June 12. - Two people, dreadfully wounded, were discovered at a
watering-place in the woods; one of them had just breathed his last,
but the other was brought alive to Jarra. On recovering a little he
informed the people that he had fled through the woods from Kasson;
that Daisy had made war upon Sambo, the king of that country; had
surprised three of his towns, and put all the inhabitants to the
sword. He enumerated by name many of the friends of the Jarra
people who had been murdered in Kasson. This intelligence made the
death-howl universal in Jarra for the space of two days.
This piece of bad news was followed by another not less distressing.
A number of runaway slaves arrived from Kaarta on the 14th, and
reported that Daisy, having received information concerning the
intended attack upon him, was about to visit Jarra. This made the
negroes call upon Ali for the two hundred horsemen which he was to
furnish them according to engagement. But Ali paid very little
attention to their remonstrances, and at last plainly told them that
his cavalry were otherwise employed. The negroes, thus deserted by
the Moors, and fully apprised that the king of Kaarta would show
them as little clemency as he had shown the inhabitants of Kasson,
resolved to collect all their forces, and hazard a battle before the
king, who was now in great distress for want of provisions, should
become too powerful for them. They therefore assembled about eight
hundred effective men in the whole, and with these they entered
Kaarta on the evening of the 18th of June.
June 19. - This morning the wind shifted to the south-west; and about
two o'clock in the afternoon we had a heavy tornado, or thunder-
squall, accompanied with rain, which greatly revived the face of
nature, and gave a pleasant coolness to the air. This was the first
rain that had fallen for many months.
As every attempt to redeem my boy had hitherto been unsuccessful,
and in all probability would continue to prove so whilst I remained
in the country, I found that it was necessary for me to come to some
determination concerning my own safety before the rains should be
fully set in; for my landlord, seeing no likelihood of being paid
for his trouble, began to wish me away - and Johnson, my interpreter,
refusing to proceed, my situation became very perplexing.
