this feigned compliance for a real intention, and taking me away from the company, told me, that he had always behaved towards me as if I had been his father and master ; and he hoped I would not entirely ruin him, by going, to Maana ; adding, that as there was every reason to believe a war would soon take place between Kasson and Kajaaga, he should not only lose his little property, the savings of four years’ industry, but should certainly be detained and sold as a slave, unless his friends had an opportunity of paying two slaves for his redemption. I saw this reasoning in its full force, and determined to do my utmost to preserve the blacksmith from so dreadful a fate. I therefore told the king’s son that I was ready to go with him, upon condition that the blacksmith, who was an inhabitant of a distant kingdom, and entirely unconnected with me, should be allowed to stay at Joag, till my return ; to this they all objected, and insisted that as we had all acted contrary to the laws, we were all equally answerable for our conduct. I now took my landlord aside, and giving him a small present of gunpowder, asked his advice in so critical a situation : he was decidedly of opinion that I ought not to go to the king : he was fully convinced, he said, that if the king should discover any thing valuable in my possession, he would not be over scrupulous about the means of obtaining it. This made me the more solicitous to conciliate matters with the king’s people ; and I began by observing, that what I had done did not proceed from any want of respect towards the king, nor from any wish to violate his laws, but wholly from my own inexperience and ignorance, being a stranger, totally unacquainted with the laws and customs of their country ; I had indeed entered the king's frontier, without knowing that I was to pay the duties beforehand, but I was ready to pay them now: which I thought was all they could reasonably demand. I then tendered them, as a present to the king, the five drams of gold which the King of Bondou had given me; this they accepted, but insisted on examining my baggage, which I opposed in vain. The bundles were opened ; but the men were much disappointed in not finding in them so much gold and amber as they expected : they made up the deficiency, however, by taking whatever things they fancied ; and after wrangling and debating with me till sunset, they departed ; having first robbed me of half my goods. These proceedings dispirited my people, and our fortitude was not strengthened by a very indifferent supper, after a long fast. Madiboo begged me to turn back ; Johnson laughed at the thoughts of proceeding without money, and the blacksmith was afraid to be seen, or even to speak, lest any one should discover him to be a native of Kasson. In this disposition, we passed the night by the side of a dim fire, and our situation the next day was very perplexing : it was impossible to procure provisions without money, and I knew that if I produced any beads or amber, the king would immediately hear of it, and I should probably lose the few effects I had concealed. W e therefore resolved to combat hunger for the day ; and wait some favourable opportunity of purchasing or . begging ■ provisions. Towards the evening, as I was sitting upon the Bentang, chewing straws, an old female slave, passing by with a basket
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