These And Other Instances Of
Attention And Kindness Shown Him By Dr. Laidley Were Not Lost Upon Karfa.
He Would
Often say to me, "my journey has indeed been prosperous!" But,
observing the improved state of our manufactures, and our
Manifest
superiority in the arts of civilized life, he would sometimes appear
pensive, and exclaim with an involuntary sigh, _fato fing inta feng_,
"black men are nothing." At other times, he would ask me with great
seriousness, what could possibly have induced me, who was no trader, to
think of exploring so miserable a country as Africa? He meant by this to
signify that, after what I must have witnessed in my own country, nothing
in Africa could in his opinion deserve a moment's attention, I have
preserved these little traits of character in this worthy Negro, not only
from regard to the man, but also because they appear to me to demonstrate
that he possessed a mind _above his condition_; and to such of my readers
as love to contemplate human nature in all its varieties, and to trace
its progress from rudeness to refinement, I hope the account I have given
of this poor African will not be unacceptable.
No European vessel had arrived at Gambia for many months previous to my
return from the interior; and as the rainy season was now setting in, I
persuaded Karfa to return to his people at Jindey. He parted with me on
the 14th with great tenderness; but as I had little hopes of being able
to quit Africa for the remainder of the year, I told him, as the fact
was, that I expected to see him again before my departure.
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