On my inquiring by whom it was done, one of my own men (Shaw, a black soldier), answered from within his hut, that it was his rifle which went off while he was cleaning the brasses of it. Some men of the town who were present, and armed, as they always are, shewed symptoms of wishing to take steps of retaliation, under the impression, no doubt, that it had been done designedly. One or two Marabouts, who were also present, and on whom I called to assist me in preventing unnecessary effusion of blood, persuaded them to desist, assuring them that every satisfaction would be given. My first step was to order Shaw into confinement, and send for Osman, to consult what was necessary to be done. On his arrival at my hut, where the Marabouts were awaiting him at my request, I stated the unfortunate occurrence precisely as it had taken place, pointing out to him the position of the deceased in the market, and that of the prisoner in his hut, through the side of which, being composed of straw, the ball had passed. The Marabouts fully corroborated my statement, by relating every circumstance with the most minute exactness, and gave it as their opinion, that the thing occurred wholly by accident: but as the deceased was a slave belonging to some of the inhabitants of a neighbouring village, it would be necessary for me to send a person to acquaint them with the affair, and despatch without delay a messenger to Almamy, requesting him to have the business tried and decided on immediately. Both these injunctions I complied with at the moment, and gave the prisoner into the hands of Osman, who expressed a wish that I might keep him myself, which I could have done, but I preferred acting otherwise, as I was aware that the inhabitants of the country at large, and particularly those people to whom the woman belonged, would be more satisfied by his being in their own hands, at least in those of one of their chiefs. The poor fellow himself, was at first much frightened, and would, I am convinced, have willingly given up his own life to restore that of the woman, were it then possible. Osman told him, although the accident was of an extremely unpleasant nature to all concerned, and particularly to him (Shaw), it was, nevertheless, one which so purely evinced the hand of the Almighty God, that he had nothing to fear, as he was sure Almamy would see the thing in its proper light, and judge accordingly.