I Told Them, That They Were
Employed In Cultivating The Land; But They Would Not Believe Me; And One
Of
Them putting his hand upon the ground, said with great simplicity,
"Have you really got such ground as this to
Set your feet upon?" A deeply
rooted idea that the Whites purchase Negroes for the purpose of devouring
them, or of selling them to others, that they may be devoured hereafter,
naturally makes the slaves contemplate a journey towards the Coast with
great terror; insomuch that the Slatees are forced to keep them
constantly in irons, and watch them very closely to prevent their escape.
They are commonly secured, by putting the right leg of one, and the left
of another, into the same pair of fetters. By supporting the fetters with
a string, they can walk, though very slowly. Every four slaves are
likewise fastened together by the necks, with a strong rope of twisted
thongs; and in the night an additional pair of fetters is put on their
hands, and sometimes a light iron chain passed round their necks.
Such of them as evince marks of discontent are secured in a different
manner. A thick billet of wood is cut about three feet long, and a smooth
notch being made upon one side of it, the ankle of the slave is bolted to
the smooth part by means of a strong iron staple, one prong of which
passes on each side of the ankle. All these fetters and bolts are made
from native iron; in the present case they were put on by the blacksmith
as soon as the slaves arrived from Kancaba, and were not taken off until
the morning on which the coffle departed for Gambia.
In other respects, the treatment of the slaves during their stay at
Kamalia was far from being harsh or cruel. They were led out in their
fetters every morning to the shade of the tamarind tree, where they were
encouraged to play at games of hazard, and sing diverting songs, to keep
up their spirits; for though some of them sustained the hardships of
their situation with amazing fortitude, the greater part were very much
dejected, and would sit all day in a sort of sullen melancholy, with
their eyes fixed upon the ground. In the evening, their irons were
examined, and their hand fetters put on; after which they were conducted
into two large huts, where they were guarded during the night by Karfa's
domestic slaves. But notwithstanding all this, about a week after their
arrival, one of the slaves had the address to procure a small knife with
which he opened the rings of his fetters, cut the rope, and made his
escape; more of them would probably have got off, had they assisted each
other; but the slave no sooner found himself at liberty, than he refused
to stop and assist in breaking the chain which was fastened round the
necks of his companions.
As all the Slatees and slaves belonging to the coffle were now assembled,
either at Kamalia, or some of the neighbouring villages, it might have
been expected that we should have set out immediately for Gambia; but
though the day of our departure was frequently fixed, it was always found
expedient to change it. Some of the people had not prepared their dry
provisions; others had gone to visit their relations, or collect some
trifling debts; and, last of all, it was necessary to consult whether the
day would be a lucky one. On account of one of these, or other such
causes, our departure was put off, day after day, until the month of
February was far advanced; after which all the Slatees agreed to remain
in their present quarters, until the _fast moon was over_. And here I may
remark, that loss of time is an object of no great importance in the eyes
of a Negro. If he has any thing of consequence to perform, it is a matter
of indifference to him whether he does it to-day or to-morrow, or a month
or two hence; so long as he can spend the present moment with any degree
of comfort, he gives himself very little concern about the future.
The fast of Rhamadan was observed with great strictness by all the
Bushreens; but instead of compelling me to follow their example, as the
Moors did on a similar occasion, Karfa frankly told me that I was at
liberty to pursue my own inclination. In order, however, to manifest a
respect for their religious opinions, I voluntarily fasted three days,
which was thought sufficient to screen me from the reproachful epithet of
Kafir. During the fast, all the Slatees belonging to the coffle assembled
every morning in Karfa's house, where the schoolmaster read to them some
religious lesson, from a large folio volume, the author of which was an
Arab, of the name of _Sheiffa_. In the evening, such of the women as had
embraced Mahomedanism assembled, and said their prayers publicly at the
Misura. They were all dressed in white, and went through the different
prostrations, prescribed by their religion, with becoming solemnity.
Indeed, during the whole fast of Rhamadan, the Negroes behaved themselves
with the greatest meekness and humility; forming a striking contrast to
the savage intolerance and brutal bigotry which at this period
characterise the Moors.
When the fast month was almost at an end, the Bushreens assembled at the
Misura, to watch for the appearance of the new moon; but the evening
being rather cloudy, they were for some time disappointed, and a number
of them had gone home with a resolution to fast another day, when on a
sudden this delightful object showed her sharp horns from behind a cloud,
and was welcomed with the clapping of hands, beating of drums, firing
muskets, and other marks of rejoicing. 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:
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