Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and StanleyKingston, William Henry Giles
History
Great African Travellers: From Mungo Park to Livingstone and Stanley
Kingston, William Henry Giles
Africa -- Description and travel; Africa -- Discovery and exploration; Explorers
On the 26th of May, accompanied by Johnson and his boy Demba, he set out
with a number of Moors on horseback, Ali having gone on before. On his
way Ali's chief slave came up and told Demba that Ali was to be his
master in future; then, turning to Park, said, "The boy goes back to
Bubaka, but you may take the old fool," meaning Johnson, "with you to
Jarra." Park in vain pleaded for Demba, but the slave only answered
that if he did not mount his horse he would send him back likewise.
Poor Demba was not less affected than his master. Having shaken hands
with the unfortunate boy, and assured him that he would do everything in
his power to redeem him, Park saw him led off by three of Ali's slaves.
At Jarra he took up his lodgings in the house of an old acquaintance,
Dayman, whom he requested to use his influence with Ali to redeem the
boy, and promised him a bill on Dr Laidley for the value of two slaves
the moment he brought him to Jarra.
Ali, however, considering the boy to be Park's principal interpreter,
would not liberate him, fearing that he would be instrumental in
conducting him to Bambarra.
Still Park was eager, if possible, to continue his journey, but Johnson
refused to proceed further. At the same time he foresaw that he must
soon fall a victim to the Moors if he remained where he was, and that if
he went forward singly he must encounter great difficulties, both from
the want of an interpreter and the means of purchasing food. On the
other hand he was very unwilling to return to England without
accomplishing his mission. He therefore determined to escape on the
first opportunity at all risks. This arrived sooner than he expected.
On the 26th of June news was brought that Daisy had taken Simbug, and
would be at Jarra the next day. Hearing this, the people began packing
up their property and beating corn for their journey, and early in the
morning nearly half had set off--the women and children crying, the men
looking sullen and dejected.
Though Park was sure of being well treated could he make himself known
to Daisy, yet as he might be mistaken for a Moor in the confusion, he
thought it wisest to mount his horse with a large bag of corn before
him, and to ride away with the rest of the townspeople.
He again fell in with his friend Dayman and Johnson. They pushed on two
days' journey to the town of Queira.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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