Life and Travels of Mungo Park in Central Africa by Mungo Park
page 167 of 456 (36%)
page 167 of 456 (36%)
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woman, and child, bond and free, all had as much as they could eat.
June 12th. Two people, dreadfully wounded, were discovered, at a watering-place in the woods; one of them had just breathed his last, but the other was brought alive to Jarra. On recovering a little, he informed the people, that he had fled through the woods from Kasson; that Daisy had made war upon Sambo, the king of that country; had surprised three of his towns, and put all the inhabitants to the sword. He enumerated by name many of the friends of the Jarra people, who had been murdered in Kasson. This intelligence made the death-howl universal in Jarra for the space of two days. This piece of bad news was followed by another not less distressing. A number of runaway slaves arrived from Kaarta on the 14th, and reported that Daisy, having received information concerning the intended attack upon him, was about to visit Jarra. This made the Negroes call upon Ali for the two hundred horsemen, which he was to furnish them, according to engagement. But Ali paid very little attention to their remonstrances; and at last plainly told them that his cavalry were otherwise employed. The Negroes, thus deserted by the Moors, and fully apprised that the King of Kaarta would show them as little clemency as he had shown the inhabitants of Kasson, resolved to collect all their forces, and hazard a battle, before the king, who was now in great distress for want of provisions, should become too powerful for them. They, therefore, assembled about eight hundred effective men in the whole; and with these they entered Kaarta on the evening of the 18th of June. June 19th. This morning the wind shifted to the south-west; and about two o'clock in the afternoon we had a heavy tornado, or thunder squall, accompanied with rain, which greatly revived the face of nature, and gave |
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