The Ambassador, On The Present Occasion, Was Accompanied By
Two Of The Principal Bushreens, Who Carried Each A Large Knife, Fixed On
The Top Of A Long Pole.
As soon as he had procured admission into the
presence of Damel, and announced the pleasure of his sovereign, he
ordered the Bushreens to present the emblems of his mission.
The two
knives were accordingly laid before Damel, and the ambassador explained
himself as follows: - "With this knife (said he) Abdulkader will
condescend to shave the head of Damel, if Damel will embrace the
Mahomedan faith: and with this other knife, Abdulkader will cut the
throat of Damel, if Damel refuses to embrace it: - take your choice."
Damel coolly told the ambassador that he had no choice to make; he
neither chose to have his head shaved, nor his throat cut; and with this
answer the ambassador was civilly dismissed. Abdulkader took his measures
accordingly, and with a powerful army invaded Damel's country. The
inhabitants of the towns and villages filled up their wells, destroyed
their provisions, carried off their effects, and abandoned their
dwellings, as he approached. By this means he was led on from place to
place, until he had advanced three days' journey into the country of the
Jaloffs. He had, indeed, met with no opposition; but his army had
suffered so much from the scarcity of water, that several of his men had
died by the way. This induced him to direct his march towards a watering
place in the woods, where his men, having quenched their thirst, and
being overcome with fatigue, lay down carelessly to sleep among the
bushes. In this situation they were attacked by Damel before daybreak,
and completely routed. Many of them were trampled to death as they lay
asleep by the Jaloff horses; others were killed in attempting to make
their escape; and a still greater number were taken prisoners. Among the
latter was Abdulkader himself. This ambitious or rather frantic prince,
who but a month before had sent the threatening message to Damel, was now
himself led into his presence a miserable captive. The behaviour of Damel
on this occasion is never mentioned by the singing men but in terms of
the highest approbation; and it was indeed so extraordinary in an African
prince, that the reader may find it difficult to give credit to the
recital. When his royal prisoner was brought before him in irons, and
thrown upon the ground, the magnanimous Damel, instead of setting his
foot upon his neck, and stabbing him with his spear, according to custom
in such cases, addressed him as follows: - "Abdulkader, answer me this
question: If the chance of war had placed me in your situation, and you
in mine, how would you have treated me?" - "I would have thrust my spear
into your heart," returned Abdulkader with great firmness; "and I know
that a similar fate awaits me." - "Not so, (said Damel,) my spear is
indeed red with the blood of your subjects killed in battle, and I could
now give it a deeper stain by dipping it in your own; but this would not
build up my towns, nor bring to life the thousands who fell in the woods.
I will not therefore kill you in cold blood, but I will retain you as my
slave, until I perceive that your presence in your own kingdom will be no
longer dangerous to your neighbours; and then I will consider of the
proper way of disposing of you." Abdulkader was accordingly retained, and
worked as a slave for three months; at the end of which period, Damel
listened to the solicitations of the inhabitants of Foota Torra, and
restored to them their king.
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