As Soon As He Had Seated Himself
Upon A Mat By The Threshold Of His Door, A Young Woman (His
Intended
bride) brought a little water in a calabash, and, kneeling down
before him, desired him to wash his hands;
When he had done this the
girl, with a tear of joy sparkling in her eyes, drank the water -
this being considered as the greatest proof she could possibly give
him of her fidelity and attachment. About eight o'clock the same
evening the Serawoolli who had been left in the woods to take care
of the fatigued slave returned and told us that he was dead; the
general opinion, however, was that he himself had killed him or left
him to perish on the road, for the Serawoollies are said to be
infinitely more cruel in their treatment of slaves than the
Mandingoes. We remained at Baniserile two days, in order to
purchase native iron, shea-butter, and some other articles for sale
on the Gambia; and here the slatee who had invited me to his house,
and who possessed three slaves, part of the coffle, having obtained
information that the price on the coast was very low, determined to
separate from us and remain with his slaves where he was until an
opportunity should offer of disposing of them to advantage - giving
us to understand that he should complete his nuptials with the young
woman before mentioned in the meantime.
May 16. - We departed from Baniserile and travelled through thick
woods until noon, when we saw at a distance the town of Julifunda,
but did not approach it, as we proposed to rest for the night at a
large town called Kirwani, which we reached about four o'clock in
the afternoon.
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