As This Moon Is Reckoned Extremely
Lucky, Karfa Gave Orders That All The People Belonging To The Coffle
Should Immediately Pack Up Their Dry Provisions, And Hold Themselves In
Readiness:
And on the 16th of April, the Slatees held a consultation, and
fixed on the 19th of the same month, as the day on which the coffle
should depart from Kamalia.
This resolution freed me from much
uneasiness; for our departure had already been so long deferred, that I
was apprehensive it might still be put off until the commencement of the
rainy reason; and although Karfa behaved towards me with the greatest
kindness, I found my situation very unpleasant. The Slatees were
unfriendly to me; and the trading Moors, who were at this time at
Kamalia, continued to plot mischief against me, from the first day of
their arrival. Under these circumstances, I reflected, that my life in a
great measure depended on the good opinion of an individual, who was
daily hearing malicious stories concerning the Europeans; and I could
hardly expect that he would always judge with impartiality between me and
his countrymen. Time had, indeed, reconciled me, in some degree, to their
mode of life; and a smoky hut, or a scanty supper, gave me no great
uneasiness; but I became at last wearied out with a constant state of
alarm and anxiety, and felt a painful longing for the manifold blessings
of civilized society.
On the morning of the 17th, a circumstance occurred, which wrought a
considerable change in my favour.
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