They Continued In This Astonishment
For Some Time; But Seeing That The Cannon Ceased To Fire, They Plucked Up
Courage, And Renewed The Fight, Advancing Within A Stones Throw Of The
Ship.
On this our sailors began to use their cross-bows; and the first
shot, which was made by the natural son of the Genoese gentleman, hit a
negro on the breast, who instantly fell down dead.
Those in the almadia
where he fell, took up the dart and gazed at it with wonder; yet they
continued the attack with great vigour, and were courageously opposed by
our caravels, insomuch that many of the Negroes were soon killed, without
the loss of one man on our side. The Negroes now changed their mode of
attack, and made a furious united attack on the stern of our smallest
caravel, which was both ill manned, and insufficiently armed. On
observing this, I brought up my ship to her assistance, and the other
large caravel doing the same, we placed the small one between us, and we
all vigorously plied our cannon and cross-bows against the almadias,
which were at last forced to retire. We now linked all the three caravels
together, and dropped one anchor, which was sufficient for us all, as it
was calm weather, and the current by no means strong.
We next endeavoured to enter into some conversation with the Negroes, and
often hailed them by means of our interpreters. At length one of the
almadias drew near, and on being asked the reason of their hostility to
strangers, who came among them only to trade in a friendly manner, as
they had already done with the Negroes of the kingdom of Senegal, and
were desirous of being on the same friendly terms with them, if they
thought proper, and were come from a far distant country, with presents
for their king or lord, from the king of Portugal, who was desirous of
peace and friendship with them. Our interpreters also entreated the
Negroes to inform us what country we were in, who was their king, and
what was the name of the river; and desired them to come freely on board,
and take what goods they pleased; adding, that they might make a return
in any commodities they thought proper, and in any quantities they
pleased, or might have our goods for nothing. To all this they made
answer, "That they had some intelligence of the Christians already, and
of their dealings with the Negroes of Senegal, who must be very wicked
people for entering into friendship with them; as they were well assured
the Christians were meneaters, who bought the Negroes only to devour them,
and, for this reason, they were resolved to have no correspondence with
them, except to destroy them, and then to send their effects to their
lord, who dwelt three days journey up the country." They added, that the
name of their country was Gambra, but I have forgotten the name they gave
the river[10]. At this time a brisk breeze sprung up, and, as we now
thoroughly knew the hostile dispositions of the Negroes, we bore down
upon their almadias; but they fled to the shore, and we dropt down to the
mouth of the river.
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