He Added, That If I Would Remain
With Him Until The Rains Were Over, He Would Give Me Plenty Of
Victuals
in the meantime, and a hut to sleep in; and that after he had conducted
me in safety to
The Gambia, I might then make him what return I thought
proper. I asked him if the value of one prime slave would satisfy him. He
answered in the affirmative, and immediately ordered one of the huts to
be swept for my accomodation. Thus was I delivered, by the friendly care
of this benevolent Negro, from a situation truly deplorable. Distress and
famine pressed hard upon me. I had, before me, the gloomy wilds of
Jallonkadoo, where the traveller sees no habitation for five successive
days. I had observed at a distance the rapid course of the river Kokoro.
I had almost marked out the place where I was doomed, I thought, to
perish, when this friendly Negro stretched out his hospitable hand for my
relief.
In the hut which was appropriated for me, I was provided with a mat to
sleep on, an earthen jar for holding water, and a small calabash to drink
out of; and Karfa sent me from his own dwelling two meals a day; and
ordered his slaves to supply me with firewood and water. But I found that
neither the kindness of Karfa, nor any sort of accomodation, could put a
stop to the fever which weakened me, and which became every day more
alarming. I endeavoured as much as possible to conceal my distress; but
on the third day after my arrival, as I was going with Karfa to visit
some of his friends, I found myself so faint that I could scarcely walk,
and before we reached the place, I staggered, and fell into a pit from
which the clay had been taken to build one of the huts. Karfa endeavoured
to console me with the hopes of a speedy recovery; assuring me, that if I
would not walk out in the wet, I should soon be well. I determined to
follow his advice and confine myself to my hut; but was still tormented
with the fever, and my health continued to be in a very precarious state
for five ensuing weeks. Sometimes I could crawl out of the hut, and sit a
few hours in the open air; at other times I was unable to rise, and
passed the lingering hours in a very gloomy and solitary manner. I was
seldom visited by any person except my benevolent landlord, who came
daily to inquire after my health. When the rains became less frequent and
the country began to grow dry, the fever left me; but in so debilitated
condition, that I could scarcely stand upright, and it was with great
difficulty that I could carry my mat to the shade of a tamarind tree, at
a short distance, to enjoy the refreshing smell of the corn-fields, and
delight my eyes with a prospect of the country.
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