One day, when I was going home, I was accosted in the street by one of my new friends, the Mandingoes, who asked me if I had not taken a silver toothpick which he had lost; the rogue added, aside, “Do not make a noise; give me back my toothpick, and I will say nothing about it.” Imagine my surprise and indignation! I had no difficulty in understanding what the fellow meant; I reproached him for this shameful behaviour to a brother, without protection, in a foreign country; then, transported with anger, I followed him home and appealed to the merchants who were assembled there; but they all refused to interfere in the business. I then went to fetch a negro who spoke English and Mandingo, that we might the better understand one another. When my accuser saw the interpreter, he was alarmed, and said I had mistaken his meaning, and that he only came to inquire whether by chance I had found the article which he had lost, adding, that he should be miserable to have any dispute with me. I was satisfied with this explanation; but I left my former companions with looks of scorn, and told them that they had taken the wrong way to gain any thing from me. Recollecting very soon that I might meet some of these Mandingoes on my journey, I thought it best to appear to forget the offence, and I made a few presents to their chief, after which we were as good friends again as ever. This little incident served as a lesson to me. I found that I must use greater caution, and that above all I must pretend to be very poor, that I might not excite rapacity.