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. The
shepherds followed me for about a mile, hooting and throwing stones
after me; and when I was out of their reach, and had begun to
indulge the pleasing hopes of escaping, I was again greatly alarmed
to hear somebody holloa behind me, and looking back, I saw three
Moors on horseback, coming after me at full speed, whooping and
brandishing their double-barrelled guns. I knew it was in vain to
think of escaping, and therefore turned back and met them, when two
of them caught hold of my bridle, one on each side, and the third,
presenting his musket, told me I must go back to Ali. When the
human mind has for some time been fluctuating between hope and
despair, tortured with anxiety, and hurried from one extreme to
another, it affords a sort of gloomy relief to know the worst that
can possibly happen. Such was my situation. An indifference about
life and all its enjoyments had completely benumbed my faculties,
and I rode back with the Moors with apparent unconcern. But a
change took place much sooner than I had any reason to expect. In
passing through some thick bushes one of the Moors ordered me to
untie my bundle and show them the contents. Having examined the
different articles, they found nothing worth taking except my cloak,
which they considered as a very valuable acquisition, and one of
them pulling it from me, wrapped it about himself, and, with one of
his companions, rode off with their prize.
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