Had chosen his quota of them, his
house should be plundered, and his slaves taken from him. The people
dared not disobey the proclamation; and next morning about two hundred of
their best cattle were selected, and delivered to the Moors; the full
complement was made up afterwards, by means equally unjust and arbitrary.
June 8th. In the afternoon Ali sent his chief slave to inform me, that he
was about to return to Bubaker; but as he would only stay there a few
days, to keep the approaching festival (_Banna Salee_), 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 9th. 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.
