in picking out the stings he had received, it was discovered that the poor woman abovementioned, whose name was Nealee, was not come up ; and as many of the slaves in their retreat had left their bundles behind them, it became necessary for some persons to return, and bring them. In order to do this with safety, fire was set to the grass, a Considerable way to the eastward of the hive, and the wind driving the fire furiously along, the party pushed through the smoke, and recovered the bundles. They likewise brought with them poor Nealee, whom they found lying by the rivulet. She was. very much exhausted, and had crept to the stream, in hopes to defend herself from the bees by throwing water over her body ; but this proved ineffectual; for she was stung in the most dreadful manner. When the Slatees had picked out the stings as far as they could, she was washed with water, and then rubbed with bruised leaves ; but the wretched woman obstinately refused to proceed any farther ; declaring, that she would rather die than walk another step. As entreaties and threats were used in vain, the whip was at length applied : and after bearing patiently a few strokes, she started up, and walked with tolerable expedition for four or five hours longer, when she made an attempt to run away from the coffle, but was so very weak, that she fell down in the grass. Though she was unable to rise, the whip was a second time applied, but without.effect; upon which Karfa desired two of the Slatees to place her upon the ass which carried our dry provisions; but she could not.sit erect; and the ass being very refractory, it was found impossible to carry her forward in that manner. The Slatees however were unwilling to abandon her, the day’s journey being nearly ended : they therefore made a sort of litter of bamboo canes, upon which she was placed, and tied on it with slips of bark : this litter was carried upon the heads of two slaves, one walking before the other, and they were followed by two others, who relieved them occasionally. In this manner the woman was carried forward until it was dark, when we reached a stream of water, at the foot of a high hill called Gankaran-Kooro; and here we stopt for the night, and. set about preparing our supper. As we had only eat one handful of meal since the preceding night, and travelled all day in a hot sun, many of the slaves, who had loads upon their heads, were very much fatigued ; and some of them snapt their fingers, which among the Negroes is a sure sign of desperation. The Slatees immediately put them all in irons; and such of them as had evinced signs of great despondency, were kept apart from the rest, and had their hands tied. In the morning they were found greatly recovered. April 25th. At daybreak poor Nealee was awakened ; but her limbs were now become so stiff and painful, that.she could neither walk nor stand ; she was therefore lifted, like a corpse, upon the back of the ass ; and the Slatees endeavoured to secure her in that situation, by fastening her hands together under the ass’s neck, and her feet under the belly, with long slips of bark ; t but the ass was so very unruly, that no sort of treatment could induce him to proceed with his load ;.and as Nealee made no . exertion to prevent herself from falling, she was quickly thrown off, and had one of her legs much bruised. Every attempt to
27f 60
To see the actual publication please follow the link above