CHAPTER SEVEN.
I ATTEND THE KING ON A HUNTING EXPEDITION--CHASE OF WILD ANIMALS--WHYNAAND I IN GREAT DANGER FROM A TIGER--BARBARITY OF THE KING TO MY YOUNGMISTRESS--I TRY TO SOOTHE HER--I AND MY COMPANIONS ARE RANSOMED--SADPARTING WITH WHYNA--AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH A HOSTILE PEOPLE, WE REACHSENEGAL--RETURN TO ENGLAND.
I had been about three months in captivity, when the old king, with hisfour wives and a large party of Negroes, left the town, and went intothe woods to hunt. My companions were left in the town, but I wasordered to attend my mistress, and I went with the hopes of being ableby some means to make my escape, for my fear of the old monarch was muchgreater than my regard for my mistress. As I had not become aproficient with the bows and arrows, or in hurling the javelin, I wasequipped with a strong spear. My mistress was skilful to admirationwith the arrow and javelin; she never missed her aim that I knew, andshe certainly never appeared to such advantage as she did at thishunting-party. Her activity, her symmetry of limb, and her courage, herskill with her weapons, all won the heart of the old king; and I believethat his strong attachment to her arose more from her possession of theabove qualities than from any other cause. Certain it is, that the oldsavage doted on her--she was the only being who could bend his stubbornwill. As his age prevented him from joining in the chase, he alwaysappeared to part with her with regret, and to caution her not to runinto useless danger; and when we returned at night, the old man's eyessparkled with the rapture of dotage as he welcomed her return.
The method of our chase was to beat the country, with a number of men,in a vast circle, until we had gathered all the game into one thicket;then the strongest warriors with their large spears went in and droveout the game, which was killed by the hunters who hovered about withinthe circle.
The animals which we had to encounter were large fierce black pigs,leopards, jackals, tigers, mountain cats, and others which I have noname for;--and in spite of the ferocity of many of these animals whenthey bounded out, they were met with such a shower of javelins, ortransfixed by the strong stabbing-spears of the warriors, that fewescaped, and they rarely did any mischief. One day, however, thebeaters having just entered a thicket, Whyna, who was eager for thesport, and plied within the circle with the other hunters, hearing arustling in the jungle, went to the verge of it, to be the first tostrike the animal which came out. As usual, I was close to her, when alarge tiger burst out, and she pierced him with her javelin, but notsufficient to wound the animal so severely as to disable him. The tigerturned, and I drove my spear into his throat. This checked him, as itremained in, but in a spring which he gave the handle broke short off,and although the iron went further in, our danger was imminent. Whynaran, and so did I, to escape from the beast's fury; for although, afterI had wounded it with my spear, we had both retreated, we were not sofar, but that in two or three bounds he would have been upon us. Mymistress was as fleet as the wind, and soon passed me, but as she passedme she caught me by the hand, and dragged me along at a pace that withdifficulty I could keep my legs. The surrounding hunters, alarmed ather danger, and knowing what they had to expect from the mercy of theold king if she was destroyed by the animal, closed in between us andthe tiger, and after a fierce combat, in which some were killed and manywounded, they despatched him with their spears. The head of the animal,which was of unusual size, was cut off and carried home to the old kingin triumph; and when he heard of the danger that Whyna had been in, hecaressed her with tears, and I could not help saying that the old wretchhad some heart after all. Whyna told the king that if I had not piercedthe animal with my spear, and prevented his taking his first spring, sheshould have lost her life, and the monster grinned a ghastly smile atme, which I presume he meant for either approbation or gratitude.
At other times the chase would be that of the multitude of birds whichwere to be found in the woods. The bow and arrow only were used, andall I had to do now was to pick up all my mistress had killed, andreturn her arrows--she would constantly kill on the wing with her arrow,which not many could do besides her. By degrees I imbibed a strongpassion for the sport, attended as it was with considerable danger, andwas never so happy as when engaged in it. We remained about two monthsin the woods, when the king was tired, and we returned to the town,where I continued for some time to pass the same kind of life as I haddone before.
I should have been quite happy in my slavery, from my affection to mymistress, had not a fresh instance of the unbounded cruelty of the oldmonarch occurred a few days after our return from the chase, whichfilled us all with consternation and horror, for we discovered that noteven my mistress, Whyna, could always prevail with the savage monster.
One morning I perceived that one of the king's guards, who had alwaystreated me with great kindness, and with whom I was very intimate, wastied up to the executioner's post before the hut. Aware of the fatewhich awaited him, I ran to the hut of Whyna, and so great was mydistress that I could not speak; all I could do was to clasp her kneesand repeat the man's name, pointing to the post to which he was tied.She understood me, and eager to save the man, or to oblige me, she ranto the large hut, and attempted to intercede with the old barbarian forthe man's life but he was in an agony of rage and passion; he refusedher, lifting up his sabre to despatch the man; Whyna was rash enough toseize the king's arm, and prevent the blow; at this his rageredoubled,--his eyes glowed like live coals, and turning to her with thelook of a demon, he caught her by the hair, and dragging her across hisfeet, lifted up his scimitar in the act to strike off her head. Isickened with horror at the danger she was in, but I thought he wouldnot strike. I had no weapon, but if he had done so, I would haverevenged her death, even if I had lost my life. At last the old monsterlet go her hair, spurning her away with his foot, so that she rolledover on the sand, and then turning to the unhappy man, with an upwardslanting blow of his sabre, he ripped him up from the flank to thechest, so that his bowels fell down at his feet; he then looked round atus all with an aspect which froze our blood, and turned away sulkily tohis hut, leaving us to recover our spirits how we might.
Poor Whyna, terrified and enraged at the same time, as soon as I had ledher to her hut, and we were by ourselves, gave way to the storm ofpassion which swelled her bosom, execrating her husband with the utmostloathing and abhorrence, and lamenting in the most passionate manner herhaving ever been connected with him. Trembling alike at the danger towhich I had exposed her, and moved by her condition, I could not helpmingling my tears with hers, and endeavoured by caresses and condolingwith her to reduce her excitement. Had the old king seen me, I knowwhat both our fates would have been, but at that time I cared not. Iwas very young, very impetuous, and I was resolved that I would notpermit either her or myself to die unavenged. At last she sobbedherself to sleep, and I took my usual station outside of the hut. Itwas well that I did so, for not five minutes afterwards the old wretch,having got over his temper, came out of his tent and bent his stepstowards the hut, that he might make friends with her, for she was toonecessary to his happiness, he soon treated her with his accustomedkindness, but I perceived that after the scene I have described heraversion for him was doubled.
There were some scores of women in the various huts within the palisade,all of whom I understood were wives to the old monarch, but none but thefour we found with him when we were first brought into his presence wereever to be seen in his company. I had, by means of my kind mistress,the opportunity of constantly supplying my companions with fowls andvenison, which was left from the king's table, and through her care,they always met with kind and gentle usage.
For another two months did I thus remain happy in the company of Whyna,and miserable when in the presence of the king, whose eye it wasimpossible to meet without quailing; when one morning we were allordered out, and were surrounded by a large party armed with spears,javelins, and bird-arrows--I say bird-arrows, as those that they use inwar are much larger. We soon discovered that we were to be sent to someother place, but where or
why, we could not find out. Shortlyafterwards the crowd opened, and Whyna made her appearance. She tookthe feather circle off my head, and the manacles off my wrist and leg,and went and laid them at the king's feet. She then returned, and toldme that I was free as well as my companions, but that I only, if Ichose, had permission to remain with her.
I did not at first reply. She then, in the most earnest manner, beggedme to remain with her as her slave; and as she did not dare to say whatshe felt, or use caresses to prevail upon me, she stamped her littlefeet with eagerness and impatience. The struggle in my own heart wasexcessive. I presumed that we were about to be made a present to someother king, and I felt that I never could expect so easy and so pleasanta servitude as I then enjoyed. I was sincerely attached, and indeedlatterly I was more than attached, to Whyna; I felt that it wasdangerous. Had the old king been dead, I would have been content topass my life with her; and I was still hesitating, notwithstanding theremonstrances of my companions, when the crowd opened a little, and Ibeheld the old king looking at me, and I felt convinced that hisjealousy was at last aroused, and that if I consented to remain, my lifewould not be worth a day's purchase.
Whyna also turned, and met the look of the old king. Whether she readin his countenance what I did, I know not; but this is certain, she madeno more attempts to persuade me, but waving her hand for us to set offon our journey, she slowly retired, and when arrived at the hut turnedround towards us. We all prostrated ourselves before her, and then setoff on our journey. She retired to the door of her own hut, and two orthree times waved her hand to us, at which our guards made us every timeagain prostrate ourselves. She then walked out to the little hill whereshe always went up to pray, and for the last time waved her hand, andthen I perceived her sink down on the ground, and turn her head in thedirection which she always did when she prayed.
We now proceeded on our journey in a north-west direction, our guardstreating us with the greatest kindness. We rested every day from tentill four o'clock in the afternoon, and then walked till late at night.Corn was supplied us from the scattered hamlets as we passed along, andour escort procured us flesh and fowl with their bows and arrows; but wewere in a state of great anxiety to know where we were going, and nobodyappeared able or willing to tell us. I often thought of Whyna, and attimes repented that I had not remained with her, as I feared fallinginto a worse slavery, but the recollection of the old king's diabolicalparting look was sufficient to make me think that it was best as it was.Now that I had left my mistress, I thought of her kindness and amiablequalities and her affection for me; and although it may appear strangethat I should feel myself in love with a black woman, I will not denybut that I was so. I could not help being so, and that is all theexcuse I can offer.
Our guards now informed us that we were about to pass for a few milesthrough the territory of another king, and that they were not sure whatour reception might be; but this was soon made evident, for we observeda party behind us, which moved as we moved, although they did not attackus; and soon afterwards a larger body in front were blocking up ourpassage, and we found that we were beset. The commander of our party,therefore, gave orders for battle, and he put into our hands strongspears, they being the only weapons we could use, and entreated us tofight. Our party was greatly out-numbered by the enemy, but ours werechosen warriors. As for us white men, we kept together, agreeing amongourselves, that we would defend ourselves if attacked, but would notoffend either party by taking an unnecessary part in the fray, as it wasimmaterial to us to whom we belonged.
The battle, or rather skirmish, soon began. They dispersed, and shottheir arrows from behind the trees, and this warfare continued some timewithout damage to either party, till at last they attacked us closely;then, our commander killing that of the enemy, they gave way, just asanother party was coming forward to attack us white men; but finding usresolute in our defence, and our own warriors coming to our assistance,the rout was general. They could not, however, prevent some prisonersfrom being taken; most of them wounded with the bird-arrows, which,having their barbs twisted in the form of an S, gave great pain in theirextraction. I observed that a particular herb chewed, and bound up withthe bleeding wound, was their only remedy, and that when the bone wasinjured, they considered the wound mortal.
We now turned to the eastward to get back into our own territory; weleft the prisoners and wounded at a village, and receiving areinforcement, we took a circuit to avoid this hostile people, andcontinued our route. On the eighth morning, just as we were stopping torepose, one of the warriors, who had mounted a hill before us, shoutedand waved his hand. We ran up to him, and as soon as we gained thesummit, were transported with the sight of the British flag flying onSenegal fort, on the other side of the river. We now understood that bysome means or another we had been ransomed, and so it proved to be; forthe governor hearing that we were prisoners up the country, had sentmessengers offering the old king a handsome present for our liberation.I afterwards found out that the price paid in goods amounted to aboutfifty-six shillings a head. The governor received us kindly, clothedus, and sent us down to the ship, which was with a full cargo in theroad, and intending to sail the next day, and we were received andwelcomed by our messmates as men risen from the dead.
We sailed two days afterwards, and had a fortunate voyage home toLiverpool.